S3 

.84 
,1)52* 


34TH  CONGRESS,  )  SENATE.  C  Ex.    Doc. 

1st  Session.      (  )     No.  66. 


REPORT 

0  F 

THE    SECRETARY    OF    WAR, 


IN    COMPLIANCE    .WITH 


./  resolution  of  the  Senate  of  the  2lst  ultimo,  calling  for  copies  of  all 
the  letters  of  the  governor  of  Washington  Territory,  addressed  to  him 
during  the  present  year  ;  and  copies  of  all  the  correspondence  relative 
to  the  Indian  disturbances  in  the  Territories  of  Washington  and 
Oregon. 

MAY   12,  185G. — Read,  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Military   Affairs,  and  ordered  to  be 

printed. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Washington,  May  9,  1856. 

SIR  :  In  compliance  with  a  resolution  of  the  Senate  of  the  21st 
ultimo,  instructing  the  Secretary  of  War  c-  to  transmit  to  the  Senate 
copies  of  all  letters  addressed  to  him  during  the  present  year  by  the 
governor  of  Washington  Territory,  respecting  the  existing  difficulties 
with  the  Indians  in  that  Territory  ;  and  also  all  correspondence  rela 
ting  to  Indian  difficulties  in  the  Territories  of  Washington  and  Ore 
gon  not  hitherto  communicated,"  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  here 
with  copies  of  communications  from  the  governors  of  Oregon  and 
Washington  Territories,  and  from  Brevet  Major  General  Wool,  com 
manding  the  Pacific  division. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JEFF'N  DAVIS, 

Secretary  of  War\ 
Hon.  J.  D.  BRIGHT, 

President  of  the  Senate. 


The  Governor  of  Oregon  to  the  President  of  the  United  State*.     . 

TERRITORY  OF  OREGON, 
Portland,  February  5,  185G. 

SIR  :  Herewith  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  a  certified  copy  of  a 
memorial  adopted  by  the  legislative  assembly  of  this  Territory  at  the 
late  regular  session  of  that  body. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant/ 

GEO.  L.  CURRY. 

Governor  of  Oregon.^ 
lo  the  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


•S  M- 


INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 


To  Ids  Excellency  flic  President  of  the  United  States, 


•  .. 


Your  memorialists,  the  legislative  assembly  of  this  Territory,  re 
spectfully  represent  that  early  in  October  last  the  people  of  Oregon 
and  Washington  Territories  were  startled  by  a  general  outbreak 
among  nearly  all  the  Indian  tribes  in  the  western  and  middle  portions 
of  those  Territories.  These  hostilities,  unprovoked  on  the  part  of  the 
whites,  were  characterized  by  the  usual  modes  of  Indian  warfare,  and 
indiscriminate  slaughter  of  all  our  citizens  who  fell  into  their  hands, 
without  regard  to  age,  sex,  or  condition,  and  by  the  pillaging  and 
burning  of  dwellings,  and  the  destruction  of  property. 

The  people  in  the  most  defenceless  parts  of  the  country,  alarmed  by 
the  dangers  to  which  they  were  exposed,  called  upon  the  governor  of 
this  Territory  for  that  protection  which  they  had  a  right  to  ask. 

We  are  happy  to  say  that  this  cry  for  relief  was  not  unheeded  by 
the  governor,  and  that  our  citizens,  with  a  promptness  and  a  zeal 
which  a  sense  of  danger  alone  could  call  forth,  volunteered  to  go  out 
in  defence  of  their  country,  leaving  their  homes  and  the  various  avo 
cations  in  which  they  were  engaged.  They  have  nobly  discharged 
their  duties,  under  many  adverse  and  trying  circumstances,  and  are 
still  in  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country,  combating  the  Indians,  or 
holding  possession  of  the  country  which  they  have  conquered. 

In  this  distressing  state  of  affairs,  and  while  the  Oregon  volunteers 
were  surrounded  by  hostile  Indians,  it  was  with  no  little  satisfaction 
that  your  memorialists,  as  well  as  the  people  of  Oregon,  hailed  the 
-arrival  in  this  Territory  of  Major  General  John  E.  Wool,  of  the  United 
States  army.  His  past  services  had  led  us  to  hope  that  he  would  at 
once  have  sent  the  forces  under  his  command  to  the  assistance  and 
relief  of  our  volunteers,  who  were  desirous  of  returning  to  their  homes. 
It  is  with  regret  we  confess  that,  in  this  respect,  our  hopes  have  been 
disappointed.  It  is  with  regret  that  we  are  compelled  to  say  that 
General  Wool  has  hitherto  remained  inactive,  and  has  refused  to  send 
the  United  States  troops  to  the  relief  of  the  volunteers,  or  to  supply 
them  with  arms  and  ammunition  in  their  time  of  need  ;  that  he  has 
gone  into  winter  quarters  and  left  our  settlements  exposed  to  the  rav 
ages  of  our  enemies  ;  that  he  has  removed  the  greater  portion  of  his 
troops  from  the  Indian  Territory  to  Vancouver,  a  military  point  re 
mote  from  the  scenes  of  war,  and  that  too,  while  our  volunteers  were 
threatened  by  an  overwhelming  force  of  Indians  ;  that  he  refused  to 
go  to  the  relief  of  a  number  of  our  citizens  who  had  settled  in  the 
Walla- Walla  valley,  and  who  had  fled  from  their  homes  for  safety, 
and  that  he  refused  to  send  any  of  the  forces  under  his  command  to 
protect  the  people  of  southern  Oregon,  whose  lives  and  property  were 
almost  daily  being  destroyed  or  endangered  by  the  Indians. 

Your  memorialists  would  have  borne  all  these  grievances  in  silence, 
and  left  these  public  acts  and  omissions  of  General  Wool  to  the  just 
judgment  of  the  people  of  Oregon  and  Washington  Territories,  and  to 
the  approval  or  disapproval  of  the  proper  officers  of  the  United  States 
government;  but  so  it  is,  that  General  Wool,  not  content  with  the  in 
active  and  inefficient  course  which  he  has  hitherto  thought  proper  to 


TEREITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  3 

pursue  in  this  war,  has  departed  from  his  inactive  policy  only  to  censure 
the  governor  and  people  of  this  Territory  for  their  commendahle  zeal  in 
defending  their  country,  and  to  thwart  all  their  efforts  to  procure  sup 
plies  and  the  means  of  subsistence  for  the  Oregon  volunteers  now  in  the 
field.  Instead  of  offering  aid  and  encouragement  to  our  people,  he 
has  shown  a  disgraceful  activity  in  his  endeavors  to  persuade  our  mer 
chants  and  those  of  California  not  to  furnish  ammunition  and  supplies 
for  our  volunteers  in  this  trying  time  of  their  need.  Instead  of  at 
tending  to  the  duties  of  his  high  office,  he  has  become  an  intermed- 
dler  between  the  people  of  Oregon  and  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  and  publicly  declared  that  his  influence  will  be  exerted  to 
prevent  the  payment,  by  the  United  States,  of  the  just  claims  incurred 
in  prosecution  of  this  war. 

Therefore,  inasmuch  as  your  memorialists,  as  well  as  the  people  of 
Oregon,  have  lost  all  confidence  in  the  willingness  of  General  Wool 
to  assist  and  defend  them  in  their  present  Indian  difficulties,  they 
most  respectfully  ask  that  he  may  be  recalled  from  the  command  of 
the  military  department  of  the  Pacific,  and  your  memorialists  will 
ever  pray. 

Passed  the  Council,  January  30,  1856. 

Passed  the  House,  January  30,  1856. 

DELAZON  SMITH, 

Speaker  of  House  of  representatives. 

A.  T.  DENNISON, 

President  of  the  Council. 

TERRITORY  OF  OREGON,  ss: 

I,  B.  F.  Harding,  secretary  of  the  Territory  of* Oregon,  do  hereby 
certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  and  perfect  copy  of  the  original, 
now  on  file  in  my  office. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  signed  my  name  and  affixed 
-,  the  seal  of  the  Territory  this    31st   day  of  January.  A.  D. 
LL-  S'J  1856. 

B.  F.  HARDING, 
Secretary  of  the  Territory  of  Oregon. 


The  Governor  of  Washington  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  OLYMPIA,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY, 

February  19,  1856. 

SIR  :  Having  been  constantly  and  closely  occupied  since  my  return 
from  the  Blackfeet  council,  I  avail  myself  of  this  my  first  opportunity 
to  inform  the  department  fully  of  the  condition  of  the  Territory  in 
the  existing  Indian  war.  And  in  order  to  arrive  at  a  full  understand 
ing  of  the  state  of  affairs,  it  is  deemed  necessary  to  state  the  facts  con 
nected  with  my  return  from  the  Missouri,  where  a  treaty  of  peace  and 
friendship  had  been  concluded  with  the  Blackfeet  and  other  tribes  of 
Indians. 


4  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

On  the  29th  day  of  October,  when  two  days  march  from  Fort  Ben- 
ton  on  my  return  to  this  place,  W.  H.  Pearson  reached  my  camp  with 
an  express  from  Acting  Governor  Mason,  bringing  the  startling  intel 
ligence  that  the  Yakima  Indians,  with  whom  I  had  concluded  a  treaty 
in  June  last,  had  murdered  a  number  of  whites  in  their  country,  their 
agent,  A.  J.  Bolan,  and  had  finally  broken  out  into  open  war;  had 
defeated  a  detachment  of  United  States  troops,  under  Major  Haller, 
and  had  declared  their  determination  to  exterminate  all  the  whites  in 
the  country. 

It  was  supposed  that  the  Cayuses,  Walla- Wallas,  and  Umatillas, 
would  join,  and  that  the  Spokanes  and  Cceur  d'Alenes  were  disposed 
to  hostilities. 

At  this  time  my  party  of  twenty-five  men  were  in  this  condition : 
Our  animals  were  poor  and  jaded  from  the  constant  express  service  in 
which  they  had  been  employed  in  the  operations  preliminary  to  the 
Blackfeet  council,  for  our  expresses  had  ranged  from  the  Saskatcha- 
wan  on  the  north  to  the  Yellow  Stone  on  the  south.  They  possessed 
but  few  arms  and  little  ammunition,  as  we  had  in  coming  up  found 
no  use  for  them,  passing  through  the  territory  of  friendly  Indians. 

Under  these  circumstances  I  halted  the  train,  dispatched  my  secre 
tary,  Mr.  Doty,  to  Forts  Benton  and  Campbell  to  procure  arms,  am 
munition,  and  fresh  animals;  and,  on  October  31,  I  pushed  forward 
to  the  Bitter  Root  valley,  to  make  arrangements  for  fresh  animals  and 
supplies,  instructing  Mr.  Doty  to  come  on  as  rapidly  as  the  condition 
of  the  train  would  permit. 

I  reached  the  valley  November  4,  making  the  distance  of  230  miles 
in  four  and  a  half  days. 

The  train  left  the  Missouri  November  4,  and  reached  Hell  Gate,  in 
the  Bitter  Root  valley,  where  I  had  established  my  camp,  in  eight 
days,,  a  distance  of  200  miles. 

I  had  overtaken,  before  reaching  the  valley,  the  delegation  of  Nez 
Perces  chiefs,  who  had  attended  the  Blackfeet  council.  A  conference 
was  held  with  them  at  Hell  Gate. 

They  had  already  heard,  through  Indian  rumors,  of  the  war  below. 
I  stated  to  them  fully  the  state  of  affairs,  and  requested  that  certain  of 
their  number  would  accompany  me,  it  being  my  determination  to  push 
forward  by  way  of  the  Cceur  d'Alenes  pass,  although  it  was  declared 
to  be  impracticable  on  account  of  snow. 

The  result  of  our  conference  was  most  satisfactory.  The  whole 
party,  numbering  fourteen  men,  among  whom  were  Spotted  Eagle, 
Looking  Glass,  and  Three  Feathers,  principal  chiefs  among  the  Nez 
Perces,  expressed  their  determination  to  accompany  us,  and  share  any 
dangers  to  be  encountered.  . 

They  expressed  a  desire  that,  after  crossing  the  mountains,  I  should 
go  to  their  country,  whence  a  large  force  of  their  young  men  would 
accompany  me  to  the  Dalles,  and  protect  us  with  their  lives  against 
any  enemy. 

Having  replenished  my  train  with  all  the  animals  to  be  had,  on 
November  14th  we  pushed  forward,  crossed  the  Bitter  Root  mountains 
the  20th,  in  snow  two  and  a  half  to  three  feet  deep,  and  reached  the 
Coeur  d'Alene  Mission  the  25th, taking  the  Cceur  d'Alenes  entirely  by 


TERRITORIES    OF    WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  5 

surprise.  They  had  not  thought  it  possible  we  would  cross  the  moun 
tains  so  late  in  the  season.  With  the  Coeur  d'Alenes  I  had  a  council, 
and  found  them  much  excited ;  on  a  balance  for  peace  or  for  war,  and 
a  chance  word  might  turn  them  either  way. 

Kumors  of  all  kinds  met  us  here  ;  that  the  troops  had  fought  a 
battle  with  the  Yakimas,  and  had  driven  them  across  the  Columbia 
towards  the  Spokane,  and  that  the  Walla- Wallas,  Cayuses,  andUma- 
tillas,  were  in  arms,  and  that  they  had  been  joined  by  a  portion  of  the 
Nez  Perces. 

The  accounts  were  of  so  contradictory  a  nature  that  nothing  cer 
tain  could  be  ascertained  from  them,  excepting  the  evident  fact  that 
several  of  the  tribes  below  were  in  arms,  blocking  up  our  road,  and 
had  threatened  to  cut  off  my  party  in  any  event.  However,  I  deter 
mined  to  push  forward,  having  first  dispatched  Mr.  Craig,  my  Nez 
Perces  interpreter,  with  all  but  four  of  the  Nez  Perces,  who  remained 
to  accompany  me,  to  the  Nez  Perces  country,  with  instructions  to  col 
lect  the  Nez  Perces,  tell  them  I  was  coming,  and  wished  a  strong 
party  to  accompany  me  to  the  Dalles ;  and  having  done  this,  to  dispatch 
an  express  to  me,  at  the  Spokane,  on  the  27th  November;  accompa 
nied  by  the  four  Nez  Perces,  we  made  a  forced  march  to  the  Spokane, 
reaching  it  the  next  day. 

The  Spokanes  were  even  more  surprised  than  the  Cceur  d'Alenes  at 
seeing  us.  Three  hours  before  my  arrival^  they  heard  I  was  going  to 
the  settlements  by  way  of  New  York.  I  immediately  called  a  council, 
sent  to  Fort  Colville  for  Mr.  McDonald,  in  charge  of  that  post  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  also  for  the  Jesuit  Fathers  at  that  point. 

They  arrived.  A  council  was  held,  at  which  the  whole  Spokane 
nation  was  represented.  The  Coeur  d'Alenes  and  Colvilles  also  were 
present. 

The  Spokanes  and  Colvilles  evinced  extreme  hostility  of  feeling, 
spoke  of  the  war  below,  wanted  it  stopped  ;  said  the  whites  were 
wrong.  The  belief  was  current  that  Pee-u-pee-mox-mox  would  cut 
off  my  party,  as  he  had  repeatedly  threatened.  They  had  not  joined 
in  the  war,  but  yet  would  make  no  promises  to  remain  neutral.  If 
the  Indians  now  at  war  were  driven  into  their  country,  they  would 
not  answer  for  the  consequences  ;  probably  many  of  the  Spokanes 
would  join  them. 

After  a  stormy  council  of  several  days,  the  Spokanes,  Coeur  d'Alenes, 
and  Colvilles  were  entirely  conciliated,  and  promised  that  they  would 
reject  all  the  overtures  of  the  hostile  Indians,  and  continue  the  firm 
friends  of  the  whites. 

Having  added  to  my  party  twenty  men  on  their  way  from  Colville 
to  the  Dalles,  who  had  delayed  some  weeks  at  this  point  through  fear 
of  the  hostile  Indians  below,  I  organized  my  party  as  volunteers  of 
the  Territory,  and  mustered  them  into  the  service. 

I  then  made  a  forced  march  to  the  Nez  Perces  country,  striking  the 
Clear  Water  at  Lapevai.  Here  we  found  assembled  the  whole  Nez 
Perces  nation,  excepting  those  in  the  buffalo  country. 

Mr.  Craig  had  received  letters  which  informed  me  that  the  whole 
Walla- Walla  valley  was  blocked  up  with  hostile  Indians,,  and  the  Nez 
Perces  said  it  was  impossible  to  go  through. 


6  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

I  called  a  council,  and  proposed  to  them  that  150  of  their  young 
men  should  accompany  me  to  the  Dalles. 

Without  hesitation  they  agreed  to  go.  Whilst  in  council,  making 
the  arrangements  for  our  movement,  news  came  that  a  force  of  gallant 
Oregon  volunteers,  four  hundred  strong,  had  met  the  Indians  in  the 
Walla- Walla  valley,  and  after  four  days  hard  fighting,  having  a 
number  of  officers  and  men  killed  and  wounded,  had  completely 
routed  the  enemy,  driving  them  across  Snake  river,  and  towards  the 
Nez  Perces  country. 

The  next  day  I  pushed  forward,  accompanied  by  69  Nez  Perces  well 
armed,  and  reached  Walla- Walla  without  encountering  any  hostile 
Indians.  They  had  all  been  driven  across  Snake  river  below  us,  by 
the  Oregon  troops. 

It  is  now  proper  to  inquire  what  would  have  been  the  condition  of 
my  party  had  not  the  Oregon  troops  pushed  vigorously  into  the  field, 
and  gallantly  defeated  the  enemy. 

The  country  between  the  Blue  mountains  and  the  Columbia  was 
overrun  with  Indians,  numbering  1,000  to  1,200  warriors,  including 
the  force  at  Priest's  rapids,  under  Kam-ai-a-kun,  who  had  sworn  to 
cut  us  off — it  was  completely  blocked  up. 

One  effect  of  the  campaign  of  the  regulars  and  volunteers  in  the 
Yakima  country,  under  Brigadier  General  Raines,  was  to  drive  Kam- 
ai-a-kun  and  his  people  upon  our  side  of  the  Columbia  river,  and 
thus  endangering  our  movement  from  the  Spokane  to  the  Nez  Perces 
country. 

Thus  we  had  been  hemmed  in  by  a  body  of  hostile  Indians,  through 
whom  we  could  only  have  forced  our  way  with  extreme  difficulty,  and 
at  great  loss  of  life.  We  might  all  have  been  sacrificed  in  the  at 
tempt.  For  the  opening  the  way  to  my  party  I  am  solely  indebted 
to  the  Oregon  volunteers. 

Pee-u-pee-mox-mox,  the  celebrated  Walla-Walla  chief,  entertains 
an  extreme  hostility  toward  myself  and  party,  owing  to  imaginary 
wrongs  he  supposed  had  been  inflicted  upon  him  in  the  treaty  conclu 
ded  with  the  Cayuses  and  Walla- Wallas  last  June,  and  had  been 
known  to  threaten  repeatedly  that  I  should  never  reach  the  Dalles. 
He  was  the  first  to  commence  hostilities,  by  plundering  Fort  Walla- 
Walla,  and  destroying  a  large  amount  of  property  belonging  to  the 
United  States  Indian  Department. 

This  chief  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Oregon  volunteers,  while  en 
deavoring  to  lead  them  into  an  ambush.  During  the  heat  of  the  first 
day's  battle,  he  and  four  other  prisoners  attempted  to  escape  by  fero 
ciously  attacking  the  guard,  and  were  at  once  shot  down. 

At  Walla- Walla  I  found  some  twenty-five  settlers,  the  remainder 
having  fled  to  the  Dalles  for  protection.  With  these  were  100  friendly 
Indians. 

Special  Indian  agent,  B.  F.  Shaw,  colonel  in  the  Washington  Ter 
ritory  militia,  was  on  the  ground,  and  I  at  once  organized  the  district, 
placed  him  in  command,  and  directed  him,  if  necessary,  to  fortify,  but 
at  all  events  to  maintain  his  ground,  should  the  Oregon  troops  be  dis 
banded  before  another  force  could  take  the  field. 

The  Nez  Perces  auxiliaries  were  disbanded  and  returned  home. 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON   AND   OREGON.  7 

Thus  we  had  reached  a  place  of  safety,  unaided,  excepting  by  the 
fortunate  movements  of  the  Oregon  troops.  Not  a  single  man  had 
been  pushed  forward  to  meet  us,  although  it  was  well  known  we  should 
cross  the  mountains  about  a  certain  time,  and  arrive  at  Walla- Walla 
about  the  time  we  did. 

Why  was  this?  Arrangements  had  been  made  with  Major  Raines, 
by  acting  Governor  Mason,  to  push  forward  a  force  under  Colonel 
Shaw,  to  meet  me  at  the  Spokane  about  the  time  of  my  arrival  there. 
A  company  had  been  enlisted,  organized,  and  marched  to  Fort  Van 
couver,  to  obtain  equipments,  rations  and  transportation,  which  Major 
Raines  had  promised  both  Governor  Mason  and  Col.  Shaw  should  be 
promptly  furnished  them.  Some  little  delay  ensued,  and  in  the 
meantime  Major  General  Wool  arrived,  who  immediately  declined 
equipping  the  company,  as  promised  by  Major  Raines,  and  stated  that 
he  could  not  in  any  manner  recognize  volunteers,  or  furnish  them 
equipments  or  transportation,  and  declining  to  supply  their  place  with 
regular  troops,  when  at  Vancouver  alone  were  some  350  men. 

When  remonstrated  with  by  Captain  William  M'Kay,  in  command 
of  the  company  raised  to  push  forward  to  my  assistance,  when  informed 
of  the  object  for  which  this  company  was  enlisted,  and  that  if  it  was 
not  pushed  forward  at  once,  or  if  some  other  force  were  not  sent,  Gov 
ernor  Stevens  and  his  party  would  be  in  the  most  imminent  danger, 
the  general  replied  that  in  his  opinion  the  danger  was  greatly  exagge 
rated  ;  that  probably  Governor  Stevens  would  be  able  to  protect  him 
self,  but  that  if  he  could  not,  then  Governor  Stevens  could  obtain  an 
escort  from  General  Harney. 

What  a  reply  was  this  ?  A  moiety  of  the  Indians  now  in  arms  had 
defeated  a  detachment  of  100  United  States  regulars. 

Major  Raines  had  placed  on  record  his  opinion,  that  an  insufficient 
force  would  be  defeated  by  these  Indians,  and  my  party  was  supposed 
to  number  no  more  than  25  men.  Yet  Major  General  Wool  very 
coolly  says,  Governor  Stevens  can  take  care  of  himself.  So,  too,  in 
the  remark,  that  I  could  obtain  aid  from  General  Harney.  Did  Gen 
eral  Wool  know  that  the  distance  from  Fort  Benton  to  the  supposed 
position  of  General  Harney  was  greater  than  the  distance  from  Fort 
Benton  to  the  Dalles,  and  that  to  obtain  aid  from  him  would  require 
not  less  than  six  months  ?  and  that  an  express  to  reach  him  must  pass 
through  the  entire  breadth  of  the  Sioux  country?  Such  ignorance 
shows  great  incapacity,  and  is  inexcusable. 

Mr.  Secretary,  Major  General  Wool,  commanding  the  Pacific  divi 
sion^  neglected  and  refused  to  send  a  force  to  the  relief  of  myself  and 
party,  when  known  to  be  in  imminent  danger,  and  believed,  by  those 
who  are  best  capable  of  judging,  to  be  coming  on  to  certain  death ;  and 
this,  when  he  had  at  his  command  an  efficient  force  of  regular  troops. 

He  has  refused  to  sanction  the  agreement  made  between  Governor 
Mason  and  Major  Raines  for  troops  to  be  sent  to  my  assistance,  and 
ordered  them  to  be  disbanded.  It  was  reserved  for  the  Oregon  vol 
unteers  to  rescue  us. 

There  has  been  a  breach  of  faith  somewhere.  I  ask  for  an  investi 
gation  into  the  whole  matter. 

The  only  demonstration  made  by  Major  Raines  resulted  in  showing 


8  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

his  utter  incapacity  to  command  in  the  field.  As  has  heen  heretofore 
said  his  expedition  against  the  Yakimas  effected  nothing  hut  driving 
the  Indians  into  the  very  country  through  which  I  must  pass  to  reach 
the  settlements.  I  have,  therefore,  to  prefer  charges  against  General 
Wool.  I  accuse  him  of  utter  and  signal  incapacity,  of  criminal  ne- 

flect  of  my  safety.  I  ask  for  an  investigation  into  his  conduct  and 
>r  his  removal  from  command. 

After  making  my  arrangements  in  the  Walla- Walla  valley,  I  pushed 
to  Vancouver,  coming  down  the  trail,  the  river  "being  still  closed,  con 
ferred  with  Major  Kaines,  and  then  hastened  to  Olympia  as  rapidly 
as  possible,  reaching  my  home  on  the  19th  January.  The  legislature 
was  still  in  session.  The  greatest  alarm  prevailed  throughout  the 
sound.  The  people  were  living  in  block  houses.  The  enemy  had 
gained  the  advantage,  and  our  regulars  and  volunteers  had  retired 
before  them.  .Keinforcements  were  coming  from  the  other  side  of  the 
mountains  to  the  hostile  Indians.  In  obedience  to  my  own  convictions 
of  duty,  and  in  response  to  the  sentiments  of  this  entire  community,  I 
issued  my  proclamation  calling  for  six  companies  of  volunteers  for  the 
defence  of  the  sound,  appointed  recruiting  officers  for  the  raising  of 
three  companies  on  the  Columbia  river,  to  operate  east  of  the  Cascades, 
and  after  remaining  in  my  office  but  two  days,  went  down  the  Sound 
to  visit  the  friendly  Indians,  confer  with  the  inhabitants,  and  make 
the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  troops  to  take  the  field. 

Since  my  arrival  on  the  Sound,  Seattle  has  been  attacked  and  every 
thing  outside  of  its  line  of  defences  burned,  except  a  small  place  named 
Alki,  on  the  same  bay  with  Seattle.  The  whole  county  of  King  has 
been  devastated.  Rumors  of  all  our  places  being  attacked  have 
reached  us  daily.  The  northern  Indians  have  commenced  making 
depredations.  They  are  now  meditating  to  send  sixteen  war  canoes 
against  us.  These  canoes  carry  seventy-five  men  each,  and  can  be 
urged  with  great  velocity  through  stormy  seas.  To  meet  which  dan 
ger  I  have  requested  Captain  Gansevoort,  now  commanding  the  naval 
forces  in  the  Sound,  to  keep  the  steamer  Active  cruising  between  Fort 
Townsend,  Bellingham  bay,  and  Seattle,  and  I  have  advised  Governor 
Douglas,  of  Vancouver's  island,  of  the  fact,  and  requested  him  to  keep 
one  of  the  Hudson's  bay  steamers  cruising  in  the  waters  of  his  juris 
diction,  and  to  keep  me  advised  of  the  movements  of  the  Indians 
alleged  to  be  hostile. 

I  have  also  raised  a  force  of  friendly  Indians  to  operate  against  the 
hostiles  from  the  line  of  the  Snow-hou-mish.  They  are  already  in  the 
field,  are  supported  by  all  the  available  strength  of  the  northern  bat 
talion  of  the  Washington  Territory  volunteers,  and  have  struck  two 
decisive  blows.  The  central  battalion  have  moved  from  this  quarter, 
and  are  now  establishing  a  depot  at  Montgomery's.  They  will  on 
Friday  or  Saturday  move  on  the  Puyallup,  and  will  also  be  reinforced 
by  friendly  Indians. 

The  most  cordial  relations  exist  between  myself  and  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Casey,  commanding  the  Puget  Sound  district,  who  appreciates 
fully  the  imminence  of  our  danger,  and  who  urges  me  to  push  into 
the  field  all  the  volunteers  in  my  power.  We  shall  act  in  concert 
throughout. 


TERRITORIES  OF   WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON. 

Since  my  arrival  at  the  Sound  I  have  revisited  the  Columbia  river, 
and  conferred  with  Colonel  Wright,  9th  infantry,  in  command  of  the 
Columbia  river  district.  By  letter  I  have  urged  both  Colonel  Wright 
and  Major  Rains,  previously  in  command  of  the  district,  to  dispatch 
troops  to  the  interior.  They  are  not  permitted  to  do  so  by  the  strin 
gent  orders  of  General  Wool,  and,  knowing  the  necessity  of  prompt 
action,  I  have  had  no  alternative  but  to  call  out  volunteers. 

In  Colonel  Wright  I  have  entire  confidence,  and  if  he  was  allowed 
to  act  according  to  his  own  judgment  there  would  be  nothing  to  ap 
prehend.  But  it  seems  to  be  the  determination  of  General  Wool  to 
play  the  part  of  the  dog  in  the  manger,  neither  to  act  himself  nor  to 
let  others  act. 

As  commander-in-chief  of  the  militia  of  Washington,  and  in  view 
of  my  oath  of  office,  I  have  taken  the  responsibility  to  act.  Every 
energy  will  be  devoted  to  the  work.  The  Indians  now  .hostile  on  this 
side  of  the  mountains  will  soon,  I  trust,  be  struck,  and  peace  be 
restored  to  our  distracted  Sound. 

For  my  full  views  in  reference  to  operations  east  of  the  Cascades,  I 
enclose  a  copy  of  a  memoir  which  I  have  addressed  to  General  Wool, 
with  an  extract  of  a  letter  to  Colonel  Wright,  modifying  my  views  in 
certain  particulars,  in  consequence  of  the  lateness  of  the  season  and 
the  condition  of  affairs  on  the  Sound. 

I  also  send  a  copy  of  my  message  to  the  legislature,  and  of  the 
message  of  Governor  Mason,  when  that  legislature  first  assembled. 

Governor  Mason  will  soon  be  in  Washington,  from  whom  you  will 
be  able  to  gain  every  information  which  this  office  could  furnish. 

I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  ser 
vant, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  and  Super 't  Indian  Affairs,  W.  T. 

Hon.  JEFFERSON  DAVIS, 

Secretary  of  War. 


HEADQUARTERS,  CAMP  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY  VOLUNTEERS,   ' 

Walla-Walla  Valley,  W.  T.,  December  23,  18f5. 

SIR  :  I  reached  this  point,  some  thirty  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Fort 
Walla- Walla,  on  the  Columbia,  on  the  20th  instant.  We  have  had 
extraordinary  success  in  our  long  march  from  the  waters  of  the  Mis 
souri,  and  I  trust  that  the  conferences  with  the  Indian  tribes  on  my 
way  will  have  some  effect  in  preventing  the  tribes  now  peaceable  from 
becoming  hostile. 

A  very  important  result  has  been  gained  by  the  operations  of  the 
volunteers  of  Oregon  in  this  valley.  The  Cayuses,  Walla- Wallas, 
Umatillas,  the  Tye  of  Deshute,  and  a  portion  of  the  Palouse  Indians, 
mustering  five  to  six  hundred  warriors,  have  been  defeated  and  driven 
across  the  Snake  river.  They  are  now  scattered  along  the  north  bank 
of  the  Snake  from  its  mouth  to  the  Nez  Perces  country,  and  the  bulk 
of  them  are  believed  to  be  in  camp  in  the  first  wood  on  the  Palouse 


10  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN   THE 

river.  From  the  best  information  I  can  gain,  I  am  of  opinion  that 
not  more  than  five  to  six  hundred  Indians  participated  in  the  fight ; 
these  Indians  are  in  constant  communication  with  the  Yakimas,  under 
Kam-i-a-han,  and  we  have  reports  that  he  is  meditating  an  attack 
witli  their  combined  forces  upon  the  troops  in  this  valley.  These  re 
ports  I  do  not  credit ;  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  Indians  desire  the  war 
to  be  put  off  till  spring,  in  the  hope  that  their  numbers  may  be  aug 
mented  by  the  Spokanes,  Omahanes,  Colvilles,  Coeur  d'Alenes,  and 
the  tribes  north  of  the  line,  and  in  case  of  defeat,  by  having  the 
means  of  retreat  to  the  north  and  across  the  mountains  eastward  to 
the  buffalo  country. 

The  Cosur  d'Alenes,  Spokanes,  Colvilles  and  Omahanes  number 
about  2,100  souls,  and  some  400  to  500  warriors,  only  a  portion  armed 
with  guns.  The  former  tribes,  numbering  about  1,700,  I  called  into 
council  on  the  Spokane,  early  this  month.,  and  have  received  from 
them  the  most  unqualified  assurances  that  they  would  reject  all  the 
overtures  of  the  hostile  tribes,  and  maintain  relations  of  friendship 
with  the  government ;  but  they  have  been  very  much  shaken  by  the 
efforts  made  to  invoke  them  in  the  war,  and  if  operations  are  sus 
pended  till  spring  there  would  be  great  danger  that  they  would  then 
be  met  in  arms. 

The  Nez  Perces  are  staunch  and  entirely  reliable.  Some  seventy 
of  these  warriors,  well  armed,  accompanied  me  from  their  own  coun 
try  and  are  now  in  my  camp.  I  crossed  the  mountains  with  twenty- 
five  men,  and  by  accessions  from  the  mines,  and  citizens  who  had  fled 
for  protection  to  the  Nez  Perces  country,  and  from  other  sources,  we 
have  a  force  of  volunteers,  organized  in  two  companies  and  numbering 
in  all  fifty-two  men.  The  volunteers  of  Oregon  in  this  valley  num 
ber  about  four  hundred  men. 

I  am  of  opinion  that  all  the  tribes,  from  the  Dalles  to  the  Nez  Per 
ces  country  and  from  the  Blue  mountains  to  the  Spokane  river,  now 
in  arms  against  the  government,  have  not  over  twelve  hundred  adult 
males,  and  that  they  cannot  bring  into  the  field  more  than  one  thousand 
effective  men.  My  sources  of  information  are  good,  and  I  write  with 
much  confidence.  The  hostile  tribes,  throwing  out  bands  known  to 
be  friendly  and  in  charge  of  local  agents,  do  not  number  quite  five 
thousand  souls. 

On  reaching  this  point,  I  exceedingly  regretted  to  learn  that  the 
Yakima  country  had  been  abandoned.  In  my  opinion,  it  could  have 
been  held  by  two  hundred  men,  and  have  been  supplied  by  Walla- 
Walla.  There  is  a  good  road  from  Walla- Walla  to  .the  Yakima  mis 
sion  ;  the  distance  is  about  ninety  miles.  Little  or  no  snow  lays  on 
the  ground  for  more  than  two  thirds  the  distance,  and  at  the  mission 
the  snow  is  seldom  more  than  six  inches  deep. 

This  whole  valley  is  remarkably  favorable  for  winter  operations. 
Grass  and  wood  are  abundant,  and  there  are  numerous  streams  of 
excellent  water.  The  snow  lays  on  the  ground  but  a  short  time,  and 
then  but  a  few  inches  deep,  and  scarcely  interfering  with  the  grazing 
of  animals. 

North  of  the  Snake,  the  Palouse,  and  its  tributaries,  the  grass  is 


TERRITORIES    OF   WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  II 

also  good,  and  there  is  a  large  quantity  of  pine.     The  pine  on  the 
Palouse  is  found  eighteen  miles  from  its  mouth. 

From  the  Palouse  to  the  Columbia,  north  of  the  Snake,  the  country 
is  not  so  favorable  ;  there  is  not  much  wood,,  nor  much  running  water, 
and  the  grass  is  of  inferior  quality.  There  is  nothing  but  drift  wood 
on  the  Snake^  enough,  however,  for  camping  purposes.  There  is 
nothing  but  drift  wood  on  the  Columbia  till  you  reach  the  mouth  of 
the  Wee-nat-chap-pam,  where  the  pine  commences. 

From  the  mouth  of  the  Palouse,  and  from  the  several  crossings 
above,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  moving  to  the  Spokane  country  all 
through  the  winter.  The  grass  is  uniformly  good,  there  is  abundant 
pine  in  the  Spokane,  and  there  will  be  wood  for  fuel  at  all  the  inter 
mediate  camps  on  all  the  routes. 

The  information  here  given  so  minutely  is  wholly  the  result  of  per 
sonal  examination,  and  I  can  vouch  for  the  accuracy  of  it  all. 

I  send  you  a  map  of  the  country  from  the  Cascades  to  the  Bitter 
Koot  mountains,  showing  the  Indian  tribes,  their  numbers,  their 
warriors,  the  points  those  hostile  are  now  believed  to  occupy,  the 
several  routes  for  the  movement  of  troops,  points  for  depot  camps, 
where  there  is  abundant  grass  and  abundant  pine  within  reach,  the 
several  crossings  of  Snake  river,  and  the  winter  snow  line,  over  which 
the  Indians  cannot  cross  when  pursued  by  troops,  and  the  line  within 
which  troops  can  operate  all  through  the  winter. 

I  will  respectfully  recommend  that  you  urge  forward  your  prepara 
tions  with  all  possible  dispatch,  get  all  your  disposable  force  in  this 
valley  in  all  of  January,  establish  a  large  depot  camp  here,  occupy 
Fort  Walla- Walla,  and'be  ready  early  in  February  to  take  the  field. 

February  is  generally  a  mild  and  open  month.  February  and 
March  are  the  favorable  months  for  operating.  All  the  Indians  are 
destitute  of  food,  the  rivers  are  easy  to  cross,  the  mountain  passes  are 
closed.  In  April  the  Indians  can  retreat  in  the  Pearl  d'Oreille  route 
eastward  of  the  mountains.  In  May  the  Coeur  d'Alenes  route  is  also 
open.  The  streams  are  swollen,  and  the  salmon  begin  to  run.  In 
June  roots  are  abundant,  and  the  streams  most  difficult  to  cross.  If 
operations  be  vigorously  prosecuted  in  February  and  March,  there  is 
little  probability  of  any  of  the  tribes  now  peaceable  taking  part  in  the 
war.  This  is  the  conclusion  to  which  I  was  brought  by  the  recent 
council  held  by  me  with  the  Indian  tribes  on  the  Spokane. 

I  do  not  entertain  the  idea  that  all  operations  can  be  brought  to  a 
close  in  these  two  months.  The  strength  of  the  combination  can, 
however,  be  broken,  but  the  country  should  be  held  all  through  the 
ensuing  year. 

As  to  transportation,  I  would  urge  that  a  line  of  barges  be  estab 
lished  on  the  Columbia ;  that  supplies  be  hauled  in  wagons  from  the 
Dalles  to  the  mouth  of  the  De  Chutes,  and  thence  by  water  to  Fort 
Walla- Walla,  then  to  the  Yakima  country,  (the  Mission ;)  to  the  cross 
ing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Palouse,  and  to  any  point  which  may  be  se 
lected  in  this  valley  as  a  depot  camp,  supplies  can  be  hauled  in  wagons. 
The  roads  are  all  good. 

When  operations  are  extended  to  north  of  the  Snake,  and  the  north 


12  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

"bank  Is  held,  a  new  depot  camp  can  be  established,  and  the  water  line 
extended. 

The  Hudson  Bay  barge  should  be  adopted,  only  be  increased  in  size. 
The  barge  most  commonly  in  use  carries  6,000  pounds  and  requires 
seven  men.  But  the  great  difficulty  in  the  river  is  at  the  falls,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  De  Chutes  river,  which  is  avoided  by  hauling  in  wagons 
to  above  that  point.  A  barge  could  be  constructed  which  would  carry 
12,000  pounds,  require  eight  men,  and  make  two  round  trips  a  month 
from  the  De  Chutes  to  Fort  Walla- Walla.  Supplies  for  500  men,  say 
four  pounds  per  day,  including  clothing,  ammunition,  &c.,  and  forage 
for  500  animals,  12  pounds  a  day,  each  animal,  would  require  10  of 
these  barges,  80  men,  about  ten  (10)  three-yoke  ox  teams,  running 
from  the  Dalles  to  the  De  Chutes.  An  ox  team  could  not  make  more 
than  three  round  trips  from  the  Dalles  to  Fort  Walla- Walla,  in  two 
months,  and  this  would  be  more  than  ought  reasonably  to  be  expected. 
To  transport  the  above  amount  of  supplies  and  forage  in  wagons 
would  require  100  ox  teams  and  100  men.  Unless  foraged  on  the  road, 
oxen,  after  making  one  round  trip,  must  have  rest,  and  a  large  number 
of  spare  oxen  must  be  at  hand  at  both  ends  of  the  line  to  keep  the 
teams  constantly  in  motion.  It  will  probably  be  very  difficult  to  get 
early  into  the  field  so  large  a  train  ;  a  pack  train  will  be  still  more  ex 
pensive,  and  it  will  be  wanted  in  advance.  Supplies,  in  my  judg 
ment,  will  mostly  have  to  be  transported  from  the  depot  in  this  valley 
by  pack  trains. 

The  Hudson  Bay  people  at  Fort  Vancouver  can  put  their  hands  on 
the  men  who  understand  making  these  barges.  I  estimate  that  five 
barges  could  be  built  at  Portland  and  be  in  readiness  for  their  loads 
at  the  mouth  of  the  De  Chutes  in  20  days,  and  five  more  in  30  days. 
It  is  a  small  affair  to  make  them. 

I  derive  my  information  in  regard  to  the  barges  from  Mr.  Sinclair, 
of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  a  gentleman  of  sound  judgment  and 
large  experience,  and  most  favorably  known  to  all  the  citizens  of  the 
Columbia  valley. 

I  believe  it  is  practicable  to  run  stern- wheel  steamers  from  the  mouth 
of  the  De  Chutes  to  above  Walla- Walla,  and  as  far  as  the  Priests' 
rapids ;  but  time  will  be  required  to  get  a  suitable  one  on  the  route, 
and  to  establish  wood  yards.  There  is  nothing  but  drift  wood  on  the 
immediate  banks  of  the  Columbia,  below  the  mouth  of  the  Wee-nat- 
chap-pan.  I  would  respectfully  urge,  however,  that  your  early  atten 
tion  be  given  to  the  matter. 

The  plan  of  campaign  which  occurs  to  me  as  feasible  is  as  follows  : 
Occupy  the  Walla- Walla  valley  in  January  ;  establish  a  large  depot 
camp  on  the  Touchet ;  hold  Fort  Walla- Walla  ;  get  up  supplies  by  a 
line  of  barges  on  the  Columbia;  have  an  advance  post  on  the  Tucanon, 
and  pickets  at  the  crossings  at  the  Palouse  and  opposite  the  bend  of 
the  Tucanon.  This  disposition  of  the  troops  will  make  you  master  of 
the  Walla- Walla  valley,  give  you  the  control  of  the  country  of  the 
Snake,  and  enable  you  to  get  information  of  the  enemy.  In  February 
cross  the  Snake,  attack  the  enemy  on  the  Palouse,  establish  a  depot 
camp  at  the  first  wood,  extend  the  line  of  barges  up  the  Snake  to  the 
Palouse,  and  push  forward  a  column  to  below  Okinahane. 


TERRITORIES   OF  WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  13 

These  operations  will  probably  drive  all  the  hostile  Indians  into  the 
Yakima  country,  west  of  the  Columbia  river  ;  when  more  down  the 
Columbia,  cross  into  the  Yakima  country  and  put  the  enemy  to  hi& 
last  battle.  He  cannot  cross  the  mountains  till  May,  and  all  the  troops 
left  behind  at  Fort  Wall  a- Walla  and  at  depot  camps,  except  indispen 
sable  guards,  marched  up  seasonably  from  Fort  Walla- Walla  by  the 
line  of  the  Yakima  river,  would,  with  the  movement  of  the  column 
from  north  of  the  Snake,  drive  him  into  a  corner,  from  which  he  could 
not  easily  escape. 

There  will  be  no  difficulty  whatever  in  making  the  crossing  of  the 
Snake.  To  the  upper  crossings  canoes  could  be  brought  from  the 
Nez  Perces  country.  For  the  Palouse  crossing,  with  a  few  tools,  boats 
could  be  made  in  a  few  days,  on  the  Touchet,  and  be  transported 
thither  on  wheels.  My  India  rubber  boats  for  the  Indian  service  were 
unfortunately  cut  to  pieces  by  the  Indians,  at  Fort  Walla- Walla.. 
During  the  winter  months  the  rivers  are  low. 

The  question  occurs,  is  the  plan  compatible  with  the  force  at  your 
command  ? 

In  my  judgment,  300  to  400  effective  troops  will  signally  defeat  any 
force  which  the  enemy  could  bring  together  from  the  tribes  now  hos 
tile.  In  my  plan  of  operations  at  Fort  Walla- Walla,  at  the  depot 
camp  of  the  valley,  and  to  hold  the  river  crossings,  200  men  would  be 
required.  If  a  smaller  force  were  left,  it  might  tempt  the  Yakimas, 
under  Kam-a-a-hum,  to  move  rapidly  into  his  own  country,  if  not 
already  there,  cross  the  Columbia  below  the  mouth  of  the  Snake,  steal 
all  the  animals,  and  break  up  the  communications.  If  very  much 
reduced,  he  might  successfully  attempt  an  attack  upon  the  troops. 
With  200  men,  I  do  not  think  he  would  attempt  anything  on  this 
side  of  the  Columbia.  The  barges  in  brigade  of  five  each,  manned 
by  40  men,  I  do  not  think,  with  a  small  force  on  the  Umatilla,  would 
be  in  danger  of  attack.  They  could  destroy  all  the  canoes,  and  take 
from  the  enemy  the  means  of  crossing  the  river  below  Walla- Walla. 

In  the  advance  movement  on  the  Palouse  there  should  be  five  hun 
dred  men.  This  whole  force  will  be  disposable  for  the  first  blow  on 
the  Palouse  ;  200  men  will  hold  the  line  of  the  Snake^  and  300  will 
be  left  for  the  advance  movement  on  the  Columbia,  below  Okinahane. 

When  the  enemy  is  driven  into  the  Yakima  country,  from  the  de 
pot  camps  north  and  south  of  the  Snake,  a  strong  column  can  be 
thrown  across  the  Columbia  at  the  mouth  of  the  Snake^  say  200  men, 
which,  with  150  from  this  column  moving  towards  Okinahane,  will 
give  350  men.  I  would  advise  that  150  men  of  that  column  be  left  to 
cut  off  retreat  in  any  attempt  to  recross  the  river. 

In  this  plan  of  the  campaign,  the  troops  are  interposed  between  the 
hostile  tribes  and  the  friendly  ones,  and  they  are  brought  to  a  final 
stand,  where  there  is  scarcely  a  possibility  of  escape.  If  the  Yakima 
country  were  held  simultaneously  with  this  valley  and  with  operations 
upon  the  Palouse,  it  might  drive  the  enemy  upon  the  Spokane,  and 
thus  cause  them  to  embark  in  the  war.  The  holding  of  the  Yakima 
country  would,  however,  effectually  protect  the  line  of  the  Columbia, 
and  render  it  unnecessary  to  leave  so  large  a  force  in  this  valley.  But 
this  plan  would  require  more  troops  than  the  other. 


14  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

By  the  Wai  la- Walla  valley  on  this  paper,  I  mean  the  whole  coun 
try  in  the  re-entering  of  the  Snake. 

With  a  small  force  on  the  Umatilla,  and  the  troops  required  at  the 
Dalles,  800  effective  men  will  be  required,  and  making  allowances  for 
the  sick  list  and  for  casualties,  1,000  men  should  he  in  the  field. 
There  are  here,  or  are  on  their  way,  500  volunteers  from  Oregon  ;  I 
hear  that  you  have,  or  will  soon  have,  500  to  600  regulars. 

The  volunteers  with  me  have  been  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
Territory  for  a  specific  duty,  and  will  be  discharged  when  I  go  down 
to  the  Dalles.  On  the  Spokane,  I  was  able  to  learn  nothing  of  the 
plan  of  the  campaign,  and  only  knew  that  Kam-i-a-hum,  with  all  his 
forces,  was  believed  to  be  on  the  Spokane  side  of  the  Columbia,  and 
that  the  Cayuses  and  Walla- Wallas  were  assembled,  some  600  war 
riors,,  in  the  Walla- Walla  valley.  I  expected  at  that  time  to  be 
obliged  to  force  my  way  through  this  body  with  my  small  force  of  less, 
at  that  time,  than  50  men,  and  the  Nez  Perces  to  the  Dalles.  The 
Nez  Perces  chiefs,  who  accompanied  me  from  the  Blackfeet  council, 
tendered  to  me  the  services  of  150  fighting  men  of  the  nation,  and  it 
was  not  till  I  had  been  some  hours  with  them  in  council,  in  their  own 
country,  making  the  necessary  arrangements,  that  I  learned  of  the 
defeat  cf  these  tribes,  and  that  the  road  was  opened.  I  took  with  me, 
however,  some  "70  Nez  Perces,  well  armed,  besides  young  men,  to  herd 
and  guard  our  animals. 

OLYMPIA,  W.  T.,  January  29,  1856. 

The  above  was  written  to  be  dispatched  by  an  express  to  you  at 
Vancouver.  I  concluded,  however,  to  come  in  person,  and  reached 
Vancouver  the  day  of  your  departure  from  Portland  to  San  Francisco. 

I  have  since  my  return  carefully  examined  the  condition  of  affairs 
in  the  Sound,  have  visited  nearly  every  point,  and  informed  myself 
thoroughly  of  our  necessities. 

We  are  now  feeding  4,000  Indians  on  the  Sound  alone  ;  a  band  of 
hostiles,  numbering  from  200  to  400  are  in  the  field.  The  whole 
country  is  opened  to  attack  from  them  and  the  northern  Indians.  All 
our  people  are  living  in  block  houses.  The  town  of  Seattle  was  at 
tacked  on  the  26th  instant,  and  the  families  compelled  to  go  on  ship 
board.  The  whole  of  King  county  has  been  devastated,  and  the  in 
habitants  driven  within  the  line  of  defences  of  the  town  of  Seattle. 
We  need  at  least  six  hundred  troops  to  cope  with  the  enemy,  and  the 
war  will,  I  fear,  from  the  nature  of  the  country,  be  a  protracted  one. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  due  to  frankness  that  I  should  state  that  I  have 
determined  to  submit  to  the  department  the  course  taken  by  the  mili 
tary  authorities  in  the  Territory  of  Washington  for  my  relief.  No 
effort  was  made,  although  the  facts  were  presented  both  to  Major 
General  Wool  and  Major  Kains  to  send  me  assistance.  The  regular 
troops  were  all  withdrawn  into  garrison,  and  I  was  left  to  make  my 
way  the  best  I  could  through  tribes  known  to  be  hostile.  It  remains 
to  be  seen  whether  the  commissioner  selected  by  the  President  to 
make  treaties  with  the  Indians  in  the  interior  of  the  continent  is  to 
be  ignored,  and  his  safety  left  to  chance. 

I  had  no  fear  of  my  own  safety,  but  the  facts  in  the  settlements 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  15 

did  not  warrant  such  belief.  I  simply,  with  50  odd  men  and  150  Nez 
Perces,  vrould  have  been  compelled  to  fight  600  Indians  in  the  Walla- 
Walla  valley  had  it  not  been  for  the  operations  of  the  Oregon  volun 
teers. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  Territory  of  Washington. 
Major  General  JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

Commanding  Pacific  Division,  Vancouver,  W.  T. 

N.  B.    The  map  is  not  quite  ready.     I  will  send  it  to  the  post  at 
Vancouver. 


Extract  of  a  letter  from  Governor  Stevens  to  Colonel  Wright,  February 

6,  1856. 

In  view  of  the  lateness  of  the  season,  my  views,  as  stated  in  my 
memoir  to  General  Wool,  and  a  copy  of  which  I  have  sent  to  you,  are 
modified  as  follows : 

1.  Operate  simultaneously  in  the  Yakima  country,  and  north  of  the 
Snake  river. 

2.  Send  at  least  two  companies  of  the  troops  now  at  Vancouver  to 
the  Sound. 

The  volunteers  on  the  Sound  will  be  in  the  field  this  week,  but  the 
force  will  be  small,  and  unless  operations  are  prosecuted  with  great 
promptness  and  energy,  we  have  reason  to  apprehend  that  many  of 
the  Indians  now  friendly  will  become  hostile. 

I  will  urge  you  to  push  two  companies  to  the  Sound  without  delay, 
and  to  push  your  troops  against  the  Indians  east  of  the  Cascades. 


Message  of  the  governor  of  the   Territory  of  Washington,   delivered  in 
joint  session  of  the  council  and  house  of  representatives  of  Washington 
Territory,  Friday,  December  *l,  1854. 

Felloiv-citizens  of  the  Legislative  Assembly : 

In  the  absence  of  the  executive,  I  have  the  honor  to  respond  to 
your  call.  To  the  people  of  this  Territory,  and  to  me  especially,  that 
absence  is,  at  this  time,  particularly  to  be  regretted,  for  the  present 
juncture  of  affairs  requires  all  the  experience,  ability,  and  energy  so 
justly  conceded  to  the  distinguished  gentleman  who  has  the  honor  to 
preside  over  this  Territory,  and  whose  duties  in  such  absence  by  law 
devolves  upon  the  Secretary  of  the  Territory.  With  real  sincerity  I 
will  assert  that  many  and  grave  doubts  have  arisen  in  my  mind  as 
to  my  ability  to  discharge  the  weighty  and  responsible  duties  incident 
to,  and  arising  out  of,  our  present  Indian  relations  ;  but,  with  a  firm 


16  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

reliance  upon  the  patriotism  of  the  people,  and  their  hearty  co-opera 
tion,  I  have  endeavored  to  compensate  for  want  of  experience  by  an 
earnestness  of  purpose,  and  a  zealous  effort  to  discharge  my  whole 
duty. 

It  is  a  subject  of  regret  that  pressure  of  business  and  multiplicity 
of  labors  prevent  as  full  and  careful  a  review  of  matters  as  is  de 
sirable.  Should,  therefore,  things  seemingly  important  be  omitted, 
or  slightly  alluded  to,  the  neglect  must  be  attributed  not  to  intention, 
but  rather  to  an  attention  to  more  pressing  matters. 

Since  you  were  last  assembled  an  important  and,  I  regret  to  say, 
disastrous  change  has  taken  place  in  our  social  prospects.  While 
peace  and  security  seemed  to  reign  about  us,  and  every  person  was,  as 
usual,  pursuing  his  customary  avocations,  an  Indian  war  breaks  out 
in  our  midst,  spreading  alarm  throughout  the  whole  Territory. 
Familes  are  murdered,  property  is  destroyed,  claims  are  abandoned 
for  the  fort  and  the  block  house,  and  the  whole  country,  instead  of 
portraying  the  usual  peaceful  occupations  of  American  citizens,  has 
the  appearance  of  desertion,  and  nothing  but  parties  of  armed  men 
are  to  be  seen  in  motion.  How  long  this  state  of  affairs  is  to  continue 
it  is  impossible  to  say ;  but,  from  the  energy  which  our  citizens  have 
shown,  and  the  measures  which  have  been  adopted,  it  is  earnestly  to 
be  hoped  that  the  end  is  not  far  off. 

The  extinguishment  of  the  Indian  title  to  lands  within  the  Territory, 
had  been  long  and  loudly  called  for  by  the  people.  This  was  a 
matter  absolutely  necessary  for  our  welfare,  in  order  that  there  might 
be  no  conflicting  claims  between  the  settler  and  the  Indian,  and  that 
the  Indians  might  be  placed  in  such  a  position  that,  while  they  were 
taken  care  of  and  protected,  they  could  at  the  same  time,,  as  far  as; 
possible,  be  prevented  from  doing  harm. 

In  the  month  of  December,  1854,  in  pursuance  of  instructions  from 
the  general  government,  Governor  Stevens  entered  upon  this  delicate 
and  arduous  task.  The  first  treaty  was  made  in  the  county  of 
Thurston,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Nisqually  river,  on  the  26th  of 
December;  was  ratified  by  the  United  States  Senate  before  its  adjourn 
ment,  March  3,  1855,  has  been  proclaimed  by  the  President,  and 
is  now  a  part  of  the  supreme  law  of  the  land.  The  basis  of  that 
treaty  is  the  basis  of  all  that  have  been  concluded  since.  Great  care 
was  taken  to  explain  the  provisions  and  the  objects  of  negotiation  to 
the  various  tribes.  Careful  interpreters  were  secured,  and  every  in 
dividual  was  allowed  to  speak  his  views.  Similar  treaties  have  been 
concluded  with  all  the  Indians  west  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Chehalis,  those  residing  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Shoalwater  Bay  and  on  the  Columbia,  as  far  east  as  the  Dalles. 

In  pursuance  of  the  instructions  and  line  of  policy  marked  out  by- 
the  Indian  Department  at  Washington  City,  Governor  Stevens  crossed:; 
the  Cascade  mountains,  and  in  conjunction  with  the  superintendent, 
of  Indian  affairs  of  Oregon,  treaties  were  effected  with  the  varioug> 
bands  known  as  the  Yakima  tribe,  the  Cayuses,  the  Walla- Wallas 
andthe^Nez  Perces.  He  then  proceeded  to  Fort  Benton,  on  the- 
Missouri  river,  where  a  great  council  had  been  called,  to  conclude 
and  settle  a  definite  peace  between  the  tribes  divided  by  the  Rocky 


TERRITORIES   OF  WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  17 

mountains,  hostilities  between  which  had  continued  ever  since   the 
whites  have  had  any  knowledge  of  the  country. 

This  measure  was  of  vital  importance  to  the  Territory  of  Washing 
ton,  as,  while  these  hostilities  continued,  there  could  be  no  safe 
travel  or  communication  by  the  great  northern  route  connecting  the 
waters  of  the  Columbia  and  Puget  Sound  with  the  headwaters  of  the 
Mississippi.  It  may  be  well  here  to  state,  that  the  latest  information 
received  will  justify  the  belief  that  that  treaty  has  been  concluded, 
and  the  return  of  Gov.  Stevens  is  daily  looked  for. 

In  the  midst  of  this  favorable  appearance  of  things,  while  the  ink 
was  scarcely  dry  with  which  treaties  had  been  written,  Indians,  who 
had  entered  into  these  stipulations,  and  solemnly  pledged  their  faith  to 
preserve  amity  and  peace  towards  all  American  citizens,  have  risen  in 
arms,  treacherously  surprised,  and  barbarously  murdered  our  inof- 
fending  citizens,  killed  an  Indian  agent,  while  in  the  performance  of 
his  official  duties,  and  in  defiance  of  all  plighted  faith  and  written 
obligation  waged  a  war,  accompanied  with  all  the  horrid  brutalities 
incident  to  savage  life. 

The  sphere  alloted  to  this  message  will  not  justify  a  recital  of  the 
preliminary  aggressions.  Satisfactory  evidence,  however,  has  been 
afforded,  indicating  that  both  in  Oregon  and  this  Territory,  for  a 
great  length  of  time,  preparations  for  war  had  been  going  on  on  the 
the  part  of  the  Indians.  Simultaneously  with  the  murders  committed 
in  the  Yakima  valley,  southern  Oregon  became  the  scene  of  Indian 
warfare,  and  the  moment  troops  move  from  Puget  Sound  across  the 
mountains,  an  outbreak  takes  place  on  the  White  river  prairies. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  in  addition  to  previous  floating  rumors, 
positive  information  was  received  that  two  of  our  citizens  had  been 
murdered  in  the  Yakima  valley,  while  travelling  on  the  military 
road  across  the  Nachess  pass.  A  requisition  was  immediately  made 
upon  the  commanding  officers  of  the  military  posts  of  Fort  Steilacoom 
and  Fort  Vancouver  for  sufficient  forces  to  proceed,  by  different  routes, 
into  that  country,  to  procure,  if  possible,  the  murderers,  if  not  to  punish 
the  tribe,  and  to  furnish  protection  to  such  persons  as  might  be  tra 
velling  to,  or  returning  from  the  Colville  mines.  Both  of  these  re 
quisitions  were  promptly  complied  with.  Previous  to  this,  Major 
Haller,  commanding  Fort  Dalles,  being  nearer  the  scene  of  action,  and 
having  earlier  information,  had  moved  into  the  field,  and  on  the  6th 
of  October  was  attacked  by  an  immensely  superior  force,  and,  after  a 
gallant  and  desperate  conflict  of  about  forty-eight  hours,  succeeded  in 
driving  off  the  enemy,  losing  five  men  killed  and  sixteen  wounded, 
together  with  a  large  portion  of  his  animals  and  all  of  his  provisions. 
This  last  compelled  him  to  return  to  the  Dalles.  Upon  the  receipt  of 
this  information,  Major  Kaines,  commanding  the  Columbia  river  and 
Puget  Sound  district  of  the  United  States  army,  made  a  requisition 
upon  the  governor  of  Oregon  for  four  companies  of  volunteers,  and 
upon  the  governor  of  Washington  for  two  The  proclamations  by  the 
respective  executives,,  calling  for  these  forces,  were  responded  to  with 
zeal  and  alacrity  by  the  citizens  of  this  and  of  our  sister  Territory. 
In  consequence  of  the  scarcity  of  arms  existing  in  this  section  of 
country,  in  order  to  furnish  the  volunteer  force  being  raised  here,  it 
Ex.  Doc.  66 2 


18  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN   THE 

became  necessary  to  make  a  requisition  both  upon  the  United  States 
sloop-of-war  "Decatur,"  and  the  revenue  cutter  "  Jefferson  Davis,"  for 
such  as  could  be  spared.  Much  praise  is  due  to  the  commanding  offi 
cers  of  those  two  vessels  for  the  willingness  and  promptness  with 
which  they  responded  to  that  request,  thus  enabling  the  first  company 
of  Washington  Territory  volunteers  to  be  equipped  and  ready  for  the 
field  the  moment  their  organization  was  completed. 

On  the  30th  of  October,  Major  Rains,  having  received  from  me  the 
appointment  of  bridgadier  general  of  the  volunteer  forces  serving  in 
the  Yakima  war,  moved  into  the  field  with  all  the  disposable  regular 
troops,  and  having  the   co-operation  of  nine   companies  of  Oregon 
mounted  volunteers,  under  command  of  Colonel  Nesmith.     After  pro 
ceeding   as  far  as  the  Yakima  Mission,  having  several  skirmishes  with 
the  enemy,  capturing  some  of  their  cattle  and  horses,  and  destroying 
several  large  caches   of  provisions,  the  whole  command  returned  to 
the  Dalles,  the  unusual  inclemency  of  the  season  preventing  a  winter 
campaign.     In  the  meanwhile,  the  command  moving  from  Fort  Steila- 
cooni;  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Slaughter,  proceeded  across  the 
mountains,  through  the  Nachess  pass,   to   within  about  twenty-five 
miles  of  the  Atahman  Mission,  \Uiere,  learning  of  the  return  of  Major 
Haller  to  the  Dalles,  they  fell  back,  first  to  the  summit,  and  then  to 
the  upper  prairies  on  White  river.     Being  reinforced  with  seventy-six 
regulars    and  company  B  of  the  Washington  Territory  volunteers, 
under  command  of  Captain  Grilmore  Hays,  the  whole  detachment, 
under  command  of  Captain  M.  Maloney,  U.    S.   4th  infantry,  again 
advanced  ;  but,  after  crossing  the  summit,  were  overtaken  by  an  ex 
press,  informing  them  that  delay  had  taken  place  in  the  movements 
of  the  troops    from    the    Columbia  river.     Captain    Maloney  conse 
quently  fell  back  to  the  first  grazing  ground  on  this  side  of  the  moun 
tains — the  White  river  prairies.     During  these  movements,  a  band  of 
rangers  had  been  organized,  under  command  of  Captain  Charles  H. 
Eaton,  whose  duty  it  was  made  to  guard  the  outskirts  of  the  settle 
ments,  and  watch  the   various    mountain  passes.     Scarcely  had  the 
command  commenced   its  operations    when  a  detachment  of  eleven 
men,  on  regular   scouting  duty,  were  suddenly  attacked  by   Indians, 
heretofore  supposed  to  be  friendly.     Taking  refuge  in  a  log  house, 
after  gallantly  sustaining  a  siege  of  some  sixteen  hours'  duration,  the 
Indians  were  repulsed.     The  murder  of  several  highly  esteemed  citi 
zens  travelling  from  Captain   Maloney 's  camp  into   the  settlements, 
and  the  massacre  on  White  river,  followed. 

The  return  of  the  command  under  Captain  Maloney  cannot  but  be 
looked  upon  as  a  most  fortunate  event  for  the  settlers  on  Puget  Sound, 
as  it  is  impossible  to  say  what  might  have  been  the  result,  with  the 
settlements  entirely  unprotected,  and  many  of  the  Indians  at  open 
war,  and  the  rest,  to  say  the  least,  wavering.  The  battle  on 
White  river,  in  which  both  regulars  and  volunteers  so  admirably 
distinguished  themselves,  cannot  fail  to  impress  the  Indians  with  the 
superiority  and  power  of  the  white  man,  and  that,  however  protracted 
the  contest  may  be,  ruin  and  desolation  must  necessarily  come  upon 
them . 

The  calls  upon  the  people  of  the  Territory  for  their  services  i-n  the 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  19 

present  war  have  been  met  by  the  organization  of  12  companies, 
consisting  of  two  companies  of  rangers,  and  ten  companies  of  the 
1st  regiment  of  Washington  Territory  volunteers,  amounting,  in  all, 
to  upwards  of  seven  hundred  men.  Of  these  about  five  hundred  are 
mounted.  In  addition  to  these,  there  is  a  company  of  rangers  at  the 
Cowlitz  Farms,  under  command  of  Captain  Peers,  not  regularly  mus 
tered  into  service,  but  ready  to  perform  such  duty  as  may  be  re 
quired  of  them. 

I  deem  it  my  duty,  here,  to  make  public  acknowledgements  of  the 
services  rendered  by  his  excellency,  JAMES  DOUGLAS,  governor  of 
Vancouver's  Island.  Upon  the  alarm  naturally  attendant  upon  a 
serious  Indian  outbreak,  almost  within  arm's-length  of  us,  and  owing 
to  the  scarcity  of  arms  and  ammunition,  application  was  made  to  him 
for  such  an  amount  of  these  munitions  of  war  as  he  could  possibly 
furnish.  That  application  was  promptly  and  cordially  responded  to, 
to  the  extent  of  his  power  ;  he  at  the  same  time  regretting  that  he  had 
at  the  moment  no  vessel-of-war  at  his  disposal,  and  that  his  steamers, 
the  "Otter '-'.and  "  Beaver,"  were  both  absent,  but  upon  the  arrival 
of  either,,  she  should  be  dispatched  to  the  Sound,  to  render  such  service 
as  might  be  required  of  her.  Since  then  the  "  Otter"  has  visited 
this  place. 

This  movement  on  the  part  of  the  executive  of  Vancouver's  Island 
cannot  fail  to  have  its  influence  upon  the  Indians  residing  upon  our 
waters,  having  a  tendency,  to  show  to  them  that  whatever  differences 
may  exist  between  the  Americans  and  the  Englishmen,  in  their  social 
and  political  organization,  as  far  as  savages  are  concerned  they  are 
but  one. 

The  Indians  west  of  the  Cascades,  with  the  exception  of  those  be 
fore  alluded  to,  still  continue  friendly.  They  have  been  collected  at 
various  points,  disarmed,  and  placed  under  the  surveillance  of  local 
agents,  and  arrangements  have  been  made  for  their  support.  The 
only  fear  at  present  entertained  is  that,  by  some  act  of  indiscretion, 
they  may  be  frightened  into  the  hostile  ranks. 

The  disposition  which  has  been  subsequently  made  of  the  troops  in 
the  field  in  this  portion  of  the  Territory  has  been  with  the  design — 
while  at  the  same  time  to  keep  the  hostile  Indians  in  check,  adequate 
force  should  be  moving  on  the  outskirts  of  the  settlements — in  order 
that  the  farmers  might  be  enabled  to  return  to  their  claims  to  provide 
for  the  coming  year's  subsistence. 

The  general  stagnation  in  trade  and  industrial  pursuits,  arising  out 
of  the  present  state  of  affairs,  loudly  calls  for  prompt  and  speedy 
action  on  the  part  of  the  general  govenment.  Should  Congress  adjourn 
without  affording  the  relief  so  pressingly  needed  in  this  emergency,  it 
will  much  retard  our  territorial  growth  and  advancement.  I  there 
fore  earnestly  recommend  a  memorial  calling  for  a  sufficient  appropria 
tion  ^to  remunerate  the  citizen  soldiery  for  their  valuable  and  patriotic 
services,  and  the  citizens  generally  for  the  supplies  they  so  promptly 
furnished,  and  for  the  property  destroyed. 

Beyond  the  limits  of  our  Territory  to  the  north,  the  coast  and 
innumerable  islands  are  inhabited  by  numerous  tribes  of  Indians  of  a 
fierce  and  warlike  character,  bands  of  which  are  constantly  in  the 


20  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

habit  of  descending  into  our  settlements  for  the  ostensible  purpose  of 
procuring  labor.  Besides  the  alarm  occasioned  to  the  most  exposed 
settlers  by  the  presence  of  these  unwelcome  visitors,  complaints  fre 
quently  arise  from  the  various  thefts  committed  by  them.  In  case 
punishment  is  attempted  to  be  inflicted,  isolated  settlers,  as  we  already 
know  from  past  experience,  are  liable,  in  revenge,  to  be  cut  off  by 
them.  In  view  of  these  facts,  in  order  to  discourage  their  coming 
within  the  limits  of  the  Territory,  I  respectfully  submit  to  your 
consideration,  whether  or  not  it  would  be  advisable  to  enact  a  law 
making  it  penal  for  any  person  to  employ  for  hire  any  of  these  northern 
bands.  In  connexion  with  this  subject,  considering  the  nature  of  the 
waters  of  Puget  Sound,  the  numerous  tribes  residing  on  its  borders, 
the  liability  to  incursion  from  foreign  tribes,  and  the  utter  inefficiency 
of  sailing  vessels  for  rapid  communication,  I  will  recommend  that  you 
memorialize  the  Navy  Department  to  station  within  our  waters  an 
armed  steam  vessel. 

I  will  here  call  your  attention  to  the  trade  that  has  been  too  largely 
carried  on  with  the  Indians  in  guns  and  ammunition.  Our  very  self- 
preservation  demands  that  it  should  entirely  cease,  and  that  very 
stringent  laws  should  be  passed  upon  the  subject. 

The  present  existing  war  has  suggested  many  deficiencies  in  our 
militia  law.  It  provides  for  the  election  of  officers,  but  on  the 
subject  of  enrollment  of  men,  and  the  rendering  the  militia  effective, 
it  is  extremely  defective.  I  would  respectfully  recommend  the  election 
of  the  general  staff,  consisting  of  a  brigadier,  adjutant,  quartermaster 
and  commissary  general,  by  the  legislative  assembly,  and  a  system 
of  enrollment  of  all  capable  of  bearing  arms  in  the  various  counties, 
and  that  the  formation  of  companies  be  entirely  volunteer — to  elect 
their  own  officers,  and  to  be  formed  into  battalions  or  regiments  as 
circumstances  may  require.  The  scattered  nature  of  our  settlements, 
and  the  isolation  of  some  of  our  counties,  seems  to  dictate  this  as  the 
most  effective  means  for  their  protection,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
most  expedient  for  combination  or  general  action.  I  suggest  it  for 
your  consideration. 

During  the  past  summer,  rumors  of  discoveries  of  gold  fields  near 
Fort  Colville  induced  many  enterprising  and  energetic  citizens  of  the 
Territory  to  visit  that  region.  Many  have  returned  on  account  of  the 
war,  and  the  impossibility  obtaining  provisions  there,  during  the 
winter.  Although  the  extent  of  the  gold  bearing  district  is  not 
known,  yet  the  fact  is  certain,  that  those  who  worked  the  bars  and 
prospected  the  country  near  Fort  Colville  found  gold  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  pay  well  for  working.  Wherever  the  more  experienced 
miners  dug,  either  upon  the  bars  or  upon  the  hill-sides,  gold  was 
found,  and  even  with  the  rude  mode  of  working  with  pans  an  average 
of  $10  per  day  has  been  made,  and  those  who  are  still  at  the  mines 
report  profitable  employment.  I  have  no  doubt  that,  with  improved 
machines  and  better  preparations  for  working  to  advantage,  these  gold 
mines  will  prove  amply  remunerative  to  many  citizens  who  may  go 
there,  whenever  the  state  of  the  country  will  permit  communication 
between  the  Columbia  river  and  Puget  Sound  settlements  and  the  gold 
bearing  region. 


TERRITORIES    OF   WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  21 

The  prosecution  of  the  public  surveys  during  the  past  year,  has  de 
veloped  large  bodies  of  fertile  lands,  and  made  great  addition  to  the  to 
pographical  knowledge  of  the  Territory,  which  will  be  useful  to  emi 
grants  in  search  of  the  best  lands.  As  to  the  amount  of  work  thus  far 
accomplished,  the  office  of  the  surveyor  general  shows  the  following 
results:  Total  amount  surveyed  while  this  Territory  was  under  the 
Oregon  office,  1,876  miles;  amount  surveyed  and  under  contract  since 
the  organization  of  the  Washington  office,  3,063  miles ;  proposed  to  be 
surveyed  in  1856  and  1857,  as  per  annual  report  of  the  surveyor 
general,  5,688  miles — all  lying  west  of  the  Cascade  mountains. 

The  general  government  has  made  liberal  appropriations  for  public 
surveys  in  the  Territory,  but  the  surveyor  general  has  found  it 
impossible  to  obtain  surveyors  willing  to  contract  for  the  whole  amount, 
as  the  exceedingly  difficult  nature  of  the  country,  and  the  high  prices 
of  labor  and  provisions,  have  subjected  to  loss  those  who  undertook  the 
work,  even  at  the  maximum  prices  allowed  by  law.  The  present 
Indian  war  has  stopped  all  field  work  in  this  important  part  of  the 
development  of  our  Territory ;  but  it  is  hoped  that  it  can  be  resumed 
in  the  spring,  and  that  you,  by  your  action,  will  second  the  urgent 
request  of  the  surveyor  general  to  the  General  Land  Office  that  an 
increased  sum  per  mile  be  allowed  by  the  general  government  for 
further  surveys. 

At  the  last  session  of  Congress,  appropriations  were  made  for  the 
military  roads  in  this  Territory:  One  from  Fort  Benton,  in 
Nebraska,  to  Walla- Walla ;  one  from  the  Dalles  to  Columbia  barracks ; 
and  one  from  Columbia  barracks  to  Fort  Steilacoom.  A  reconnoissance 
has  been  made  of  the  two  latter  during  the  present  fall,  and  it  is 
expected  work  will  be  commenced  thereon  during  the  coming  spring. 

In  addition  to  these  roads,  communication  should  be  opened  by 
land  to  Bellingham  Bay,  on  the  north,  and  through  the  valleys  of  the 
Chehalis  and  Willapah  to  Grey's  Harbor,  Shoal  water  Bay,  and  some 
point  near  "the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  on  the  south.  These  roads 
will  be  of  great  importance,  in  a  domestic  point  of  view,  as  opening  a 
large  section  of  country  to  settlement,  and  communication  with  other 
settlements ;  and,  in  military  affairs,  as  affording  means  of  communica 
tion  with  exposed  points,  and  of  rapidly  marching  troops  into  the 
fastnesses,  and  lairs  of  those  savages  who  may  hover  upon  the  outskirts 
of  the  settlements.  I  call  your  attention  to  this  as  a  subject  of 
memorial. 

In  the  "  act  making  appropriations  for  the  support  of  the  army  for 
the  year  ending  the  30th  of  June,  1856,  and  for  other  purposes,"  it 
was  provided,  that  the  Secretary  of  War  shall  equalize,  as  far  as 
practicable,  the  number  of  arms  heretofore  distributed,  and  now  in 
possession  of  the  several  States,  so  that  each  State  which  had  received 
less  than  its  pro  rata  share  shall  receive  a  number  sufficient  to  make 
an  equal  pro  rata  proportion  for  all  the  States,  according  to  the  number 
of  their  representatives  and  senators  in  Congress,  respectively. 

Under  this  provision,  the  amount  falling  due  to  this  Territory  is 
2,000  muskets.  An  effort  was  made  to  draw  them  in  rifles,  but  failed 
from  some  regulation  to  the  contrary.  In  addition  to  this,  our  annual 
quota  of  arms  is  137  muskets,  which  amount,  consisting  of  2,137 


22  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

muskets,  have  been  drawn  in  1,980  muskets,  100  rifles  and  accoutre 
ments,  and  30  cavalry  sabres.  The  whole  amount — to  which  208,000 
caps  were  added — have  arrived  at  Vancouver,  in  this  Territory,  some 
mistake  having  occured  in  their  shipment.  Owing  to  the  difficulty 
of  transportation  at  the  present  season  of  the  year^  between  the 
Columbia  river  and  Puget  Sound.,  efforts  have  been  made  to  procure 
the  proper  portion  suitable  for  the  Puget  Sound  section  of  country,, 
transported  direct,  by  sea,  from  Vancouver  to  this  place. 

Your  attention  is  urgentlv  requested  to  the  subject  of  the  postal  ar 
rangements  for  the  Territory.  Mail  routes  have  been  established 
throughout  the  Sound,  and  a  large  appropriation  has  been  made  for 
carrying  the  mail  from  Olympia  by  sea  to  San  Francisco. 

The  contracts  of  the  former  have  not  as  yet  been  let,  and  the  latter 
has  proved  inadequate  for  the  service  required,  and  thus  far  been  of 
no  avail. 

In  the  present  critical  state  of  affairs  our  exposed  position  demands 
from  the  general  government  a  more  rapid  communication  with  San 
Francisco  and  New  York. 

By  an  act  of  the  last  legislative  assembly,  the  public  buildings 
of  the  Territory  were  located,  and  by  subsequent  resolution  the 
governor  was  requested  to  draw  the  amount  appropriated  by  Con 
gress  to  be  used  in  the  erection  of  the  capitol. 

During  the  vacation  of  the  legislature,  and  as  soon  as  a  site  for 
the  capitol  could  be  cleared,  the  plan  of  construction  was  adopted, 
and  a  contract  entered  into  for  its  erection.  The  building  was  fast 
reaching  its  completion  when  the  Indian  war  broke  out,  taking  from 
said  building  the  artisans  engaged,  and  preventing  the  possibility  of 
securing  others.  Under  these  circumstances,  a  suspension  of  the 
work  was  ordered,  and  I  have  been  compelled  to  employ,  temporarily, 
the  hall  used  by  the  legislative  assembly  at  its  last  session.  The 
architect  and  contractor  of  the  capitol  assures  me,  however,  that  the 
work  will  be  finished  shortly. 

In  reference  to  our  boundary  question,  and  the  extinguishment  of 
the  rights  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  and  Puget  Sound  Agricultural  Com 
panies,  I  refer  you  to  the  last  message  of  the  executive. 

In  conclusion  I  will  state,  that  as  far  as  my  limited  judgment  ex 
tends  every  effort  has  been  made  on  my  part  for  the  protection  of  the 
Territory.  An  Indian  war,  existing  all  around  us,  demands  from  every 
citizen  a  unanimity  of  opinion  and  a  concert  of  action. 

From  the  uniform  courtesy  which  has  ever  been  extended  to  me  by 
the  citizens  of  this  Territory,  as  long  as  the  duties  of  acting  executive 
devolve  upon  me,  I  shall  rely  upon  your  patriotism  and  earnest  co 
operation,  and,  having  in  view  but  one  object — that  of  duty — shall 
leave  it  to  you  how  far  that  object  has  been  accomplished. 

C.  H.  MASON. 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON   AND    OREGON.  23 


Special  Message  of  the  Governor,  delivered  in  joint  session  of  the  council 
and  House  of  Representatives  of  Washington  Territory,  Monday, 
January  21,  1856. 

Fellow-citizens  of  the  legislative  assembly  of  the  Territory  of  Washington: 

I  have  taked  the  liberty  of  departing  from  the  usual  custom  of  de 
livering  a  written  message.  This  arises  from  the  exigencies  of  the  case. 
It  did  not  seem  necessary  to  follow  the  etiquette  usual  in  such  cases, 
if  by  doing  so  time  should  be  lost  or  public  business  deferred. 

We  are,  fellow  citizens,  and  have  been  for  the  past  three  months, 
engaged  in  an  Indian  war.  Our  settlers,  from  the  Cowlitz  river  to 
the  Sound,  have  been  obliged  to  abandon  their  claims,  to  live  in  forts. 
It  is  true  that  almost  all  the  Indians  are  friendly  ;  that  the  number  of 
Indians  hostile  does  not  exceed  the  number  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  or 
two  hundred  ;  but  from  the  peculiarity  of  the  country,  if  this  force  is 
not  soon  crushed,  it  will  prove  a  source  of  serious  annoyance  upon 
this  side  of  the  Cascade  mountains  and  the  other.  Several  tribes 
have  violated  their  plighted  faith  and  broken  out  in  open  hostilities. 

We  are  now  in  the  midst  of  a  war.  What  has  brought  it  about, 
and  what  is  the  remedy  ?  Gentlemen  of  the  legislative  assembly,  it 
is  due  to  you  that  I  should  enter  dispassionately  and  fully  into  the 
policy  which  has  marked  the  government  in  the  making  of  treaties  with 
the  Indians  of  this  Territory.  It  is  important  that  the  honor  and 
dignity  of  that  government  should  be  sustained.  That  its  course 
should  be  characterized  by  humanity  and  justice.  Those  who  have 
done  their  duty  and  maintained  the  dignity  and  honor  of  the  country 
should  not  be  struck  down.  Let  the  blow  be  struck  in  the  right 
quarter.  If  dignity  and  honor  have  been  maintained,,  then  has  no 
citizen  anything  to  blush  for,  and  it  is  a  bright  page  in  the  history  of 
the  country  and  dear  to  every  citizen. 

When  this  Territory  was  organized  there  was  a  population  of  about 
four  thousand  souls,  widely  scattered.  No  treaties  had  been  made 
with  the  Indians  occupying  the  lands  of  this  Territory,  nor  was  there, 
practically,  an  intercourse  law.  Congress  had  by  law  extended  the 
provisions  of  the  Indian  intercourse  act,  so  far  as  applicable,  over  this 
Territory  arid  Oregon.  Congress  had  also  passed  a  donation  law,  invit 
ing  settlers  to  locate  claims,  first  west,  and  then  east  of  the  Cascade 
mountains,  and  public  surveys  had  been  ordered  to  be  made  over  this 
domain.  But  the  Indian  title  had  not  been  extinguished.  This  was 
a  bitter  cause  of  complaint  on  the  part  of  the  Indians.  The  Yakimas, 
Cayuses,  and  Walla- Wallas  were  anxious  to  make  treaties,  selling 
their  lands  to  the  government,  and  securing  to  themselves  reservations 
for  their  permanent  homes,  and  they  asserted  that  until  such  treaties 
were  made  no  settlers  should  come  among  them.  These  were  the 
reasons  of  public  policy  which  induced  the  government  to  enter  into 
these  treaties,  and  no  time  was  lost  in  consummating  them.  The 
people  of  this  Territory  urged  upon  Congress  the  necessity  of  such  a 
policy,  and  Congress  made  appropriation  to  carry  out  their  wishes. 
It  fell  to  my  lot  to  be  appointed  the  commissioner  to  negotiate  these 
treaties.  I  entered  upon  those  labors  in  December,  a  year  ago,  and 


24  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES   IN   THE 

during  that  and  the  following  month  successfully  treated  with  all  the 
Indians  upon  the  Sound,  the  Straits,  and  the  Indians  at  Cape  Flattery. 

In  January  a  year  ago,  I  dispatched  Jas.  Doty,  esq.,  east  of  the 
Cascade  mountains,  to  ascertain  the  feelings  and  views  of  the  Indians. 
He  visited  the  Yakiinas,  the  Cayuses,  the  Walla- Wallas,  and  the  Nez 
Perces  in  their  own  country,  and  they  were  desirous  to  treat  and  sell 
their  lands.  Kamiakin  advised  the  tribes  to  meet  in  council  at  Walla 
Walla,  saying  that  was  their  old  council  ground.  The  council  was 
convened,  and  lasted  fourteen  days.  All  those  tribes  were  present. 
The  greatest  care  was  taken  to  explain  the  treaties,  and  the  objects  of 
of  them,  and  to  secure  the  most  faithful  interpreters.  Three  interpreters 
were  provided  for  each  language;  one  to  act  as  principal  interpreter,  the 
other  two  to  correct.  At  the  close  of  that  council,  such  expressions  of  joy 
and  thankfulness  I  have  never  seen  exhibited  to  a  greater  degree  among 
Indians.  Kamiakin,  Peu-peu-mox-mox,  the  young  chief  Stickas,  and 
the  Lawyer,  all  personally  expressed  their  joy  and  satisfaction. 
Kamiakin  asserted  that  personally  he  was  indifferent  about  the  treaty; 
but  as  his  people  all  wanted  it,  he  was  for  it,  and  that  was  the  reason 
he  asssented  to  the  treaty.  The  record  of  that  council  was  made  up 
by  intelligent  and  dispassionate  men,  and  the  speeches  of  all,  there 
made,  are  recorded  verbatim.  The  dignity,  humanity,  and  justice 
of  the  national  government  are  there  signally  exhibited,  and  none  of 
the  actors  therein  need  fear  the  criticism  of  an  intelligent  community, 
nor  the  supervision  of  intelligent  superiors.  By  these  treaties,  had 
the  Indians  been  faithful  to  them,  the  question  as  to  whether  the 
Indian  tribes  of  this  Territory  can  become  civilized  and  christianized 
beings,,  would  have  been  determined  practically,  and  as  to  whether 
the  intervention  of  an  Indian  service,  for  the  supervision  of  the  Indians, 
might  not  become  unnecessary,  in  consequence  of  the  Indians  being 
able  to  govern  themselves.  This  spirit  lies  at  the  basis  of  all  the 
treaties  made  in  this  Territory. 

Another  council  followed,  in  which  three  considerable  tribes  were 
convened,  which  lasted  eight  days — the  Indians,,  at  the  close,  again 
expressing  the  utmost  joy  and  satisfaction.  It  is  due  to  gentlemen  of 
the  legislative  assembly  to  make  this  frank  and  full  statement.  The 
printed  record  will  show  that  the  authorities  and  the  people  of  this 
Territory  have  nothing  to  blush  for,  nothing  to  fear  in  the  judgment 
of  impartial  men,  now  living,  nor  the  rebuke  of  posterity. 

As  to  the  causes  of  this  war,  it  is  not  a  question  necessary  to  dwell 
upon.  It  has  been  conclusively  demonstrated,  that  it  has  been  plotting 
for  at  least  two  or  three  years.  I  am  frank  to  admit,  that  had  I 
known  when  the  council  at  Walla- Walla  was  convened  what  I  learned 
afterwards,  I  should  not  have  convened  that  council.  I  learned  from 
one  of  the  fathers,  some  days  after  it  had  commenced,,  and  I  was 
satisfied  that  his  information  w^as  correct,  from  the  deportment  of 
several  of  the  principal  chiefs,  that  many  of  the  Indians  came  to  that 
council  with  hostile  feelings.  But  when  I  left  Walla- Walla,  I 
thought  that  by  the  treaty  such  feelings  were  entirely  assuaged — that 
those  who  were  once  for  war  were  now  for  peace. 

It   is  difficult  to  see  how  such  a  combination   should   have   existed 


TERRITORIES   OF  WASHINGTON   AND   OREGON.  25 

and  riot  have  been  known ;  and  yet  it  extended  from  the  Sound  to  the 
Umpqua — from  one  side  to  the  other  of  the  Cascade  mountains. 

Fellow  citizens!  War  has  existed  for  three  months,  and  still  exists. 
A  war  entered  into  by  these  Indians,  without  a  cause ;  a  war  having; 
not  its  origin  in  these  treaties,  nor  in  the  had  conduct  of  our  people. 
It  originated  in  the  native  intelligence  of  restless  Indians,  who,  fore 
seeing  destiny  against  them,  that  the  white  man  was  moving  upon 
them,  determined  that  it  must  be  met  and  resisted  by  arms.  We 
may  sympathize  with  such  a  manly  feeling,  but  in  view  of  it  we 
have  high  duties. 

I  will  not  dwell  upon  the  efforts  made,  the  false  reports  circulated, 
distorting  the  proceedings  of  these  councils ;  the  stories  of  killing 
friendly  Indians,  which  those  hostile  have  resorted  to,  to  spread 
hostility.  The  war  exists;  the  question  is — How  shall  it  be  met? 
There  are  duties  to  be  discharged,  difficulties  to  be  grappled  with. 
The  war  must  be  vigorously  prosecuted  now.  Seed  time  is  coming, 
and  the  farmer  should  be  at  his  plough  in  the  field.  The  summer  is 
coming.  The  snows  will  melt  in  your  mountain  passes.  It  seems  to 
me  the  warm  season  is  not  the  time  for  operations.  Day-light  is 
breaking  upon  us.  The  gloom  which  for  a  time  hung  over  us  is 
giving  way.  There  has  been  great  energy  displayed  in  handling  the 
whole  question.  Judgment  and  energy  in  driving  back,  into  a  com 
paratively  small  region  of  country,  the  hostile  Indians,  and  in  keep 
ing  the  great  body  of  the  Indians  entirely  friendly. 

The  work  remaining  to  be  done  is  comparatively  small.  It  is  my 
opinion  that  it  would  be  expedient  forthwith  to  raise  a  force  of  three 
hundred  men,  from  the  Sound,  to  push  into  the  Indian  country,  build 
a  depot,,  and  vigorously  operate  against  the  Indians  in  this  quarter ; 
and  nearly  the  same  force  should  be  raised  on  the  Columbia  river,  to 
prosecute  the  war  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains.  This  last  would 
have  a  vast  influence  upon  the  operations  in  this  section.  It  would 
prevent  reinforcements  from  either  side  joining  the  bands  on  the  other 
side,  and  would  effectually  crush  both.  But  what  is  more  important, 
would  be  the  influence  upon  the  numerous  tribes  not  yet  broken  out 
into  hostility.  It  is  due  to  you  to  state  what  experience  in  travelling- 
through  the  Indian  country  has  taught  me.  There  is  a  surprising 
feeling  of  uneasiness  among  all  the  tribes  who  have  not  broken  out, 
except,  alone,  the  Nez  Perces.  These  tribes  may  be  led  into  war  if 
delay  attends  our  operations. 

I  regret  on  this  occasion  to  be  compelled  to  criticise  the  official  acts 
of  a  gallant  and  war-worn  veteran,  one  whose  name  has  been  on  the 
historic  rolls  of  the  country  for  nearly  half  a  century.  But  it  is  due 
to  the  people  and  the  authorities  of  the  Territory  of  Washington 
that  the  facts  should  appear  and  be  known  to  the  national  goverment. 
Gov.  Mason,  in  obedience  to  the  requisition  of  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  United  States  forces  upon  the  Columbia  river,  raised 
two  companies  of  volunteers,  of  excellent  material.  They  were  well 
mounted  and  ready  for  the  field.  Another  company  was  raised  to 
protect  the  commissioner  appointed  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  make  treaties  with  the  Indian  tribes  in  the  interior  of  the 
continent.  These  troops  were  disbanded,  were  brought  down  into 


26  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

garrison,  and  the  regulars  were  kept  in  garrison.  And  there  stands 
out  the  broad  fact,  that  seven  hundred  Indians  in  the  Walla- Walla 
valley  were  met  and  defeated  by  volunteers,  when  the  regulars  were 
in  garrison.  The  President's  commissioner,  a  high  functionary, 
deriving  his  powers  from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  arid  not 
from  any  department,  was  left  without  protection,  and  the  troops 
raised  to  protect  him  Major  General  Wool  thought  proper  to  disband 
and  bring  into  garrison.  That  officer  acted  unquestionably  from  a 
sense  of  duty.  His  reputation  as  a  gallant  soldier,  his  long  and 
valuable  services  to  the  country,  cannot  be  disputed.  I  do  not  wish 
to  impugn  his  motives.  I  only  desire  to  submit  facts  for  the  judg 
ment  of  superiors  at  home. 

I  learn,  from  good  authority,  that  his  plan  of  operations  is  to  delay 
till  spring,  probably  until  May.  It  is  well  known  by  those  who  have 
experience  and  knowledge  of  their  country,  that  February  and  March 
are  the  best  months  for  the  prosecution  of  this  war.  I  think  it  due 
to  the  legislative  assembly  to  state  the  reasons  why  all  voyageurs, 
and  gentleman  of  experience  in  these  matters,  give  it  as  their  opinion 
that  now  is  the  proper  time  for  action.  There  is  a  vast  plain  between 
the  Cascade  and  Bitter  Koot  mountains.  The  Columbia,  Snake,  Clear 
Water,  and  Spokane  rivers  are  to  be  crossed.  The  snow  is  but  a  few 
inches  deep,  and  lasts  but  a  short  time — seldom  over  a  fortnight. 
There  is  but  one  continuous  period  of  cold  weather,  and  that  period  has 
now  passed.  The  mountain  passes  are  all  closed  up  with  snows, 
which  can  only  be  scaled  by  snow-shoes.  For  these  reasons  the 
Indians  cannot  escape,  should  vigorous  operations  be  made.  On  these 
plains  our  forces  can  operate  well.  There  is  abundant  fuel  for  camps, 
grass  for  animals,  and  the  rivers  are  low.  The  Indians  must  be  struck 
now.  But  if  we  delay,  in  a  few  months  the  roots  and  fish  will  abound^ 
supplying  the  Indians  with  food.  The  snows  will  melt,  and  the 
mountain  passes  will  allow  them  hiding  places.  It  is  my  opinion,  if 
operations  are  deferred  till  summer  they  must  be  deferred  till  winter 
again. 

What  effect  would  it  have  on  the  Sound  should  nothing  be  done 
until  May  or  June?  The  whole  industrial  community  would  be 
ruined ;  the  Sound  paralyzed ;  the  husbandman  would  be  kept  in  a 
state  of  suspense  by  rumors  of  war,  and  could  not  adhere  to  his 
pursuits ;  fields  would  not  be  tilled,  and  the  Territory  would  starve  out. 

I  am  of  the  opinion  that  vigorous  operations  should  be  prosecuted 
on  both  sides  of  the  Cascade  mountains.  Whenever  it  is  practicable 
or  expedient,  it  is  best  that  volunteers  should  be  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service.  It  should  go  to  the  authorities  at  home,  that 
we  endeavored  to  co-operate  with  the  regular  service.  But  there  has 
been  a  breach  of  faith.  Troops  mustered  into  service  were  disbanded, 
in  violation  of  a  positive  understanding  ;  and  it  is  now  proper  that  the 
authorities  of  this  Territory  should  conduct  the  movements  of  their 
own  troops — co-operating  with  the  regulars  where  such  co-operations 
can  be  effective.  I  therefore  do  not  think  the  volunteers  of  this  Ter 
ritory  should  be  mustered  into  the  United  States  service.  I  am  ready 
to  take  the  responsibility  of  raising  them,  independent  of  that  service, 
and  it  is  clue  to  the  Territory,  and  to  myself,  that  the  reasons  for 


TERRITORIES   OF  WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  27 

assuming   it   should    go   to  the   President  and  the  departments  at 
Washington. 

The  spirit  of  prosecuting  this  war  should  be  to  accomplish  a  lasting 
peace — not  to  make  treaties,  but  to  punish  their  violation. 

Gentlemen  of  the  legislative  assembly:  I  have  done  my  duty.  It 
was  a  pleasant  feeling-  that  actuated  me  on  my  mission,  in  making 
these  treaties,  to  think  I  was  doing  something  to  civilize  and  render 
the  condition  of  the  Indian  happier  ;  and  while  justice  and  mercy 
should  characterize  the  acts  of  our  government,  there  should  be  no 
weakness — no  imbecility.  In  nations,  as  well  as  individuals,  we  may 
apply  the  precept — a  man  who  has  deceived  you  once  should  not  again 
be  trusted.  Let  the  blow  strike  where  it  is  deserved.  I  am  opposed  to 
any  treaties;  I  shall  oppose  any  treaties  with  these  hostile  bands.  I 
will  protest  against  any  and  all  treaties  made  with  them  ;  nothing  but 
death  is  a  mete  punishment  for  their  perfidy — their  lives  only  should 
pay  the  forfeit.  A  friendly  Nez  Perce  informed  me  that  in  the  Cayuse 
tribe  nineteen  ill-disposed  persons  caused  all  the  trouble.  Could 
these  be  punished,  the  tribe  could  be  governed.  These  turbulent 
persons  should  be  seized  and  put  to  death.  The  tribes  now  at  war 
must  submit  unconditionally  to  the  justice,  mercy,  and  leniency  of 
our  government.  The  guilty  ones  should  suffer,  and  the  remainder 
placed  upon  reservations,  under  the  eye  of  the  military.  In  a  few 
years  the  policy  might  be  changed.  By  such  a  decisive,  energetic 
and  firm  course,  the  difficulty  may  be  grappled  with  and  peace  restored. 

Let  not  our  hearts  be  discouraged.  I  have  an  abiding  confidence  in 
the  future  destiny  of  our  Territory.  Gloom  must  give  way  to  sun 
light.  Let  us  never  lose  sight  of  the  resources,  capacities,  and  natu 
ral  advantages  of  the  Territory  of  Washington.  We  have  an  interior, 
soon  to  be  filled  up  with  settlements.  Gold  in  considerable  quantities 
has  been  discovered  in  the  northern  part  of  that  interior.  There  are 
fine  grazing  tracts  and  rich  agricultural  vallies,  and  that  interior 
will  Jill  up  when  these  Indian  difficulties  are  at  an  end.  Then,  too, 
will  the  Sound  resume  its  prosperity.  Gather  heart,  then,  fellow 
citizens.  Do  not  now  talk  of  leaving  us  in  our  hour  of  adversity,  but 
stay  till  the  shade  of  gloom  is  lifted,  and  await  that  destiny  to  be  ful 
filled.  Let  us  all  put  hands  together  and  rescue  the  Territory  from 
its  present  difficulties,  so  that  we  all  may  feel  that  we  had  done  our 
whole  duty  in  the  present  exigency. 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor ,  and  Supt.  Ind  Aff's,  Wash.  Ter. 


The  Governor  of  Washington  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY, 
Olympia,  March  9,  1856. 

SIR  :  Referring  to  my  previous  communication,  setting  forth  the 
necessity  of  calling  out  volunteers  to  protect  our  settlements,  and  to 
co-operate  with  our  regular  troops  in  waging  war  upon  the  hostile 


'28  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

Indians,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  for  the  information  of  the  depart 
ment  the  present  condition  of  the  volunteer  service. 

The  general  plan  of  operations,  and  the  staff  arrangements  made 
to  give  efficiency  to  the  service,  will  he  shown  in  General  Orders  No. 
4,  herewith  enclosed. 

It  will  thus  appear  that  three  battalions  are  to  operate  against  the 
enemy. 

The  northern  battalion  is  now  rendezvousing  at  the  falls  of  the  Sno- 
qual-mie,  will  number  about  ninety  men,  and  will  be  supported  by 
Pat  Kanim  and  his  band  of  nearly  one  hundred  friendly  Indians. 
This  battalion  is  ordered  to  establish  block  houses  on  the  prairie  above 
the  falls  of  the  Sno-qual-mie,  and  on  Cedar  creek  ;  will  be  supplied 
with  sixty  days'  provisions,  and  will  prevent  the  Indians  either  cross 
ing  over  the  mountains  by  the  passes  of  the  Sno-qual-mie,  or  going 
down  the  Sno-ho-mish,  to  tamper  with  the  friendly  Indians  on  the 
reservations. 

The  central  battalion,  under  Major  Gilmore  Hays,  is  now  estab 
lished  at  Council's  prairie,  on  the  south  side  of  White  river,  a  block 
house  and  corral  has  been  built,  and  the  communication  with  the  rear 
is  secured  by  a  ferry  and  block  house  on  the  Puyallup,  and  by  block 
houses  at  Montgomery's  and  on  the  Yelm  prairie.  They  have  one 
hundred  days'  supplies  of  provisions,  taken  in  by  ox-teams,  which 
have  since  been  withdrawn,  and  will  immediately  establish  block 
houses  at  the  crossing  of  White  river,  to  communicate  with  the  regu 
lar  force  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey,  on  the 
Muckleshoot  prairie,  and  at  Porter's,  higher  up  on  White  river. 

The  cordial  relations  between  the  regulars  and  volunteers,  men 
tioned  in  my  last  communication,  still  continue,  and  I  have  every  as 
surance  that  our  volunteers  will  do  their  duty. 

The  department  will  observe  that  one  of  the  companies  of  this  bat 
talion  is  a  company  of  pioneers.  They  are  experienced  axemen,  and 
have  rendered  the  most  efficient  service  in  opening  roads  and  building 
block  houses.  The  war  will  be  emphatically  a  war  of  block  houses. 

In  the  movement  of  the  troops  upon  the  Muckleshoot,  a  decisive 
battle  was  fought  with  the  Indians,  in  which  the  latter  were  signally 
defeated.  Their  establishment  at  Porter's  has  since  been  broken  up, 
and  they  have  been  driven  towards  Green  river.  If  they  continue 
their  retreat  further,  they  will  be  met  by  the  volunteers  and  friendly 
Indians  of  the  northern  battalion. 

The  southern  battalion  is  still  organizing,  but  their  march  to  the 
interior  will  be  delayed  for  a  short  time,  in  consequence  of  my  finding 
myself  obliged  to  order  more  than  one  company  to  the  defence  of  the 
Sound.  A  band  of  hostiles,  under  the  notorious  Qui-e-muth,  had, 
unknown  to  us,  established  themselves  in  the  Nisqually  bottom,  within 
twelve  miles  of  this  place  and  the  garrison  at  Steilacoom.  We  be 
came  aware  of  their  presence  one  week  since,  they  having  on  that  day 
killed  one  of  our  citizens. 

One  of  the  teamsters  had  been  for  some  days  missing,  and  that  he 
also  had  been  killed  was  ascertained  the  same  day.  The  whole  force 
of  the  central  battalion,  except  fifteen  men,  was  then  in  the  Indian 
country  on  White  river.  Immediately  an  express  was  dispatched  to 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  29' 

the  Columbia  river,  ordering  Captain  Maxon's  mounted  company  to 
the  Sound,  and  to-night  his  company  will  be  at  Jackson's,  ninety 
miles  on  the  road.  The  rapidity  of  the  movement  is  the  best  evidence 
of  the  necessity  of  action,  and  the  disposition  of  the  troops  to  obey 
orders.  In  the  meantime,  I  have  raised  the  force  of  fifteen  men  to 
sixty,  and,  in  addition,  have  sent  twenty-nine  friendly  Indians  into 
the  field.  These  Indians  are  led  by  experienced  white  men. 

These  hostiles  have,  within  ten  days,  driven  off  much  stock,  and 
have  alarmed  our  entire  settlements  ;  we  hope  soon  to  rout  them.  It 
is  necessary,  however,  to  have  considerable  guards  to  all  our  trains. 
The  mail  from  the  Columbia  river  came  in  on  Friday,  with  an  escort 
of  four  men. 

The  danger  is  not  so  much  from  the  harm  which  this  band  may  of 
its  own  strength  do,  as  it  numbers  not  over  forty  warriors,  but  from 
the  facility  with  which  it  may  communicate  with  the  friendly  Indians 
on  the  reservations,  and  stir  them  up  to  hostility.  Seattle  is  held  by 
a  company  of  volunteers,  consisting  of  forty  odd  men,  commanded  by 
the  chief  justice  of  the  Territory,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Lander. 

Lone  Free  Point,  which  commands  a  trail  from  the  camp  of  the 
hostiles  to  the  Sound,  whence  they  may  communicate  with  the  reserva 
tions,  is  also  held  by  a  volunteer  force  of  ten  men.  They  have  built 
a  substantial  block  house. 

Our  people  are  not  discouraged.  Wherever  four  families  are,  they 
will  build  a  block  house,  hold  it  against  the  Indians,  and  endeavor  to 
get  in  their  crops.  Over  one  half  of  the  able-bodied  men  on  the 
Sound  are  bearing  arms  ;  our  people  have  patriotically  placed  at  the- 
disposal  of  the  authorities  all  their  available  means.  We  need  aid 
from  the  general  government — ample  appropriations  to  defray  the  ex 
penses  of  the  war. 

I  have  refused  to  receive  into  service  a  single  man  for  local  defence; 
all  are  enlisted  for  six  months,  subject  to  the  orders  of  the  executive. 

In  this  way  an  effectual  stop  has  been  put  to  any  attempt  to  enrol 
troops  for  nominal  service,  with  a  view  of  extorting  pay  and  rations; 
from  the  government. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  most  obedient, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  Tey*ritory  of  Washington. 

Hon.  JEFFERSON  DAVIS, 

Secretary  of  War,  Washington,  D.  C. 


GENERAL  ORDERS— No.  4. 

1st.  The  2d  regiment  of  Washington  Territory  volunteers,  called' 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States  against  the  Yakima  and 
other  hostile  Indian  tribes,  will  be  organized  into  three  battalions,  to 
be  designated  respectively  the  northern,  the  central,  and  southern 
battalions. 

2d.  The  northern  battalion  includes  company  G,  commanded  by 


30  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

Captain  Van  Bokkelin  ;  company  I,  Captain  Howe  ;  a  detachment  of 
company  H,  Captain  Peabody,  and  will  be  commanded  by  a  major,  to 
be  elected  by  the  command  upon  its  concentration. 

3d.  It  will  receive  supplies  and  transportation  from  Quartermaster 
and  Commissary  Robinson,  and  move  immediately  up  the  river  to  the 
Snoqualmie  falls. 

4th.  The  central  battalion,  commanded  by  Major  Gilmore  Hays, 
will  comprise  company  B,  Captain  Rabbeson  ;  company  C,  Captain 
Henness,  (mounted  rangers  ;)  the  train  guard,  Captain  Shead,  and 
the  pioneer  company,  commanded  by  Captain  White,  with  detach 
ment  of  scouts,  commanded  by  Captain  Swindall,  of  company  F,  and 
be  supplied  by  Quartermaster  and  Commissary  Weed,  at  the  post  of 
Olympia. 

5th.  This  battalion  will  march  to  the  Muckleshoot  prairie,  estab 
lishing  block  houses  at  the  Yelrn  prairie,  at  Montgomery's  station, 
and  the  crossing  of  the  Puyallup  river,  and,  forming  a  junction  with 
the  regulars,  erect  a  depot,  hospital,  and  block  house  at  or  near  the 
forks  of  White  and  Green  rivers. 

6th.  The  southern  battalion,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Shaw,  will  organize  from  the  companies  now  forming  by  Captains 
Maxen,  Achilles,  Higgins,  and  Pearson,  upon  the  Columbia  river, 
and  will  march  to  the  Walla- Walla  valley  as  soon  as  possible. 

*7th.  The  southern  battalion  will  be  supplied  by  Quartermaster  and 
Commissary  Hathaway,  at  Fort  Vancouver. 

8th.  Officers  commanding  battalions  will  appoint  adjutants  for 
their  commands. 

9th.  The  battalion  adjutant  will  conduct  the  military  correspond 
ence,  make  the  necessary  reports  to  this  office,  and  keep  the  papers  of 
the  battalion. 

10th.  Quartermasters  and  commissaries  will  make  their  reports  to 
Quartermaster  and  Commissary  General  Miller,  at  Olympia. 

llth.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Lander,  commanding  post  at  Seattle,  will 
organize  company  A,  of  the  2d  regiment  of  Washington  Territory 
volunteers,  with  as  many  friendly  Indians  as  may  report  to  him,  and 
make  war  upon  the  hostile  savages  infesting  the  forests  between  El 
liott's  bay  and  the  country  lying  adjacent  to  Seattle,  and  co-operate 
with  the  naval  forces  now  in  the  bay  of  Seattle,  and  will  be  supplied 
by  Quartermaster  and  Commissary  F.  Mathias. 

12th.  Jared  S.  Kurd  and  H.  R.  Crosbie,  esq.,  are  appointed  aids 
to  the  commander-in-chief,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel. 

13th.  Eustis  Huger  is  appointed  acting  adjutant  to  the  2d  regiment 
W.  T.  volunteers,  with  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant. 

14th.  Sidney  S.  Ford,  jr.,  is  appointed  a  captain,  and  detached  for 
the  special  service  of  organizing  a  force  of  friendly  Indians  of  the 
-Chehalis  and  Cowlitz  tribes  for  operation  upon  the  Puyallup. 

15th.  Captain  C.  W.  Riley,  with  the  force  raised  in  Steilacoom, 
will  build  a  fort  at  "  Lone  Tree  Point,"  north  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Puyallup,  and  occupy  that  post  until  further  orders. 

16th.  Warren  Gove  is  appointed  quartermaster  and  commissary  at 
the  post  of  Steilacoom. 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  31 

17th.  A.  H.  Kobie  is  appointed  quartermaster  and  commissary  of 
subsistence  at  the  Dalles. 

18th.  G-.  K.  Willard  to  be  surgeon  and  purveyor  of  medicine  and 
medical  stores  at  headquarters. 

19th.  M.  P.  Burns  is  appointed  a  surgeon  in  the  2d  regiment,  and 
ordered  for  duty  with  the  central  battalion. 

20th.  Dr.  K.  M.  Bigelow,  surgeon  for  the  northern  battalion. 

21st.  The  officer  commanding  the  southern  battalion  will  appoint 
a  surgeon  for  his  command,  and  report  his  name  to  this  office,  that  a 
commission  may  issue. 

22d.  Edward  Furste  is  appointed  chief  clerk  to  the  quartermaster 
and  commissary  general. 

23d.  James  Roberts  is  appointed  military  clerk  to  the  office  of  the 
commander-in-chief. 

24th.  In  all  service  of  combined  volunteer  and  Indian  military 
forces,  the  military  officer  will  take  command  of  the  whole. 

25th.  All  officers  commanding  are  requested  to  make  reports  to 
this  office  as  frequently  as  practicable. 

By  order  of  the  governor  and  commander-in-chief. 

JAMES  TILTON, 
Adjutant  General  W.  T.  Volunteer  Forces. 

HEADQUARTERS,  Olympia,  W.  T.,  February  25,  1856. 


The  Governor  of  Washington  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  TERRITORY  OF  WASHINGTON, 

Olympia,  March  21,  1856. 

SIR  :  In  my  two  reports,  of  February  19  and  March  9,  I  laid  before 
the  department  the  circumstances  of  my  return  from  the  Blackfeet 
country,  the  condition  of  the  Territory,  and  the  measures  taken  by  me 
to  call  out  volunteers  and  to  apply  them  to  the  prosecution  of  the  war. 
I  now  propose  to  lay  before  the  department  a  full  view  of  the  whole 
matter,  and  to  indicate  the  measures  which,  in  my  judgment^  are  still 
necessary  to  protect  these  distant  settlements,  and  to  inflict  that  sum 
mary  chastisement  upon  the  Indians  demanded  both  by  their  unpro 
voked  atrocities  and  the  permanent  peace  of  the  country. 

I  have  caused  two  maps  to  be  prepared  ;  one  of  the  country  west  of 
the  Cascades,  showing  the  points  now  occupied  by  that  portion  of  the 
friendly  Indians  who,  for  five  months,  have  been  under  the  charge  of 
local  agents  ;  the  lines  occupied  by  the  regular  troops  now  in  the  field 
under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey  ;  the  point  occupied 
by  the  naval  forces  ;  the  lines  occupied  by  the  volunteer  forces  now  in 
the  field  ;  the  block  houses  occupied  by  our  citizens  ;  the  lines  of  sup 
plies  ;  the  depots  for  their  protection  ;  the  country  occupied  by  the 
hostiles  ;  the  lines  over  which  reinforcements  can  come  to  them  from 
east  of  the  Cascades  ;  and  one  of  the  country  east  of  the  Cascades, 
showing  the  tribes,  the  lines  of  communication,  and  the  points  at  the 


32  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

latest  advices  occupied  by  the  hostiles.     The  number  of  souls  and  of 
warriors  will  be  shown  on  this  map. 

A  glance  at  the  first  map  will  show  that  the  citizens  of  the  Terri 
tory  have,  for  the  protection  of  their  families,  and  to  get  in  and 
harvest  their  crops,  and  in  connexion  with  the  military  service  of  the 
Territory,  built  some  thirty-three  block  houses  and  depots.  Of  these 
some  are  large  establishments.  Fort  Henniss,  in  Mound  prairie,  is  a 
large  stockade,  with  block  houses  at  the  alternate  corners,  with  build 
ings  inside  affording  shelter  to  all  the  families  of  that  flourishing 
settlement.  At  Nathan  Eaton's  the  defences  consist  of  sixteen  log 
buildings  in  a  square,  facing  inwards,  the  object  being  not  only  to 
collect  the  families  for  protection,  but  to  send  out  a  scouting  party  of 
some  fifteen  men  when  marauders  are  in  the  vicinity. 

This  point  is  within  four  miles  of  the  Nisqually  bottom,  which  was 
the  headquarters  for  four  weeks  of  a  band  of  hostiles,  and  is  central  to 
many  Indian  trails. 

On  Skocham  bay  there  is  an  establishment  of  the  same  character, 
and  nearly  as  large  as  Fort  Henniss.  The  latter  was  built  by  one  of 
the  volunteer  companies  of  the  new  levies,  but  the  former  entirely  by 
the  citizens,  without  any  aid  from  the  territorial  authorities. 

The  settlements  are  now  so  secured  by  block  houses  that  the  citi 
zens  will  hold  them,  even  should  every  Indian  in  the  Sound  become 
hostile,  and  be  reinforced  by  large  bands  from  the  north. 

The  whole  country  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Sound,  from  the 
Shookum  creek  to  Snow-how-mish,  is  a  war  ground.  No  friendly 
Indian  is  allowed  there  except  he  has  a  pass  from  an  authorized  agent 
stating  his  specific  business,  or  he  be  connected  with  the  military  and 
naval  service.  Two  parties  of  Indian  auxiliaries  are  now  in  the  field, 
besides  which,  quite  a  number  of  Indians  are  employed  as  spies, 
guides,  and  in  canoe  service. 

I  will  now  give  you  a  condensed  view  of  the  present  condition  of 
the  military  operations  on  the  sound. 

1.  The  regular  troops  now  occupy  the  Muckleshoot  prairie  as  their 
central  position.     The  line  of  communication  to  Steilacoom  is  secured 
by  a  block  house  and  ferry  at  the  crossing  of  the  Puyallup.     A  com 
pany  has  been  sent  to  Seattle  to  move  up  the  Duamish  and  open  a 
communication  with  the  central  position.     A  block  house  will  be  es 
tablished  at  the  mouth  of  Cedar  creek,  and  probably  one  at  John 
Thomas'.     The  force  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey  has  been  very 
active,  and  this  gallant  officer  has  made  the  most  favorable  impression 
upon  our  people. 

2.  The  naval  forces  occupy  Seattle.     This  place  is  also  held  by  a 
company  of  volunteers,  who,  for  some  days,  have  been  under  orders/ 
to  occupy  the  line  of  the  Dunamish,  and  who,  in  that  duty,  will  co 
operate  with  the  company  sent  there  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey. 

3.  The  northern  battalion  have  their  headquarters  at  Fort  Tilton, 
near  the  falls  of  the  Sno-qual-mie      They  number  about  ninety  white 
men,   and  about  the  same  number  of  friendly  Indians,  under  Pat 
Kannim.     They  will  establish  block  houses  in  the  prairie  above  the 
falls  and  on  Cedar  creek,  and  will  extend  their  scouts  to  the  Muckle 
shoot  and  Dunamish. 


TERRITORIES    OF    WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  33 

4.  To  circumscribe  the  field  occupied  by  the  enemy,  I  have  sug 
gested  to  Captain  Swartwout,  in  command  of  the  naval  forces,  a  joint 
operation  upon  the  lake  back  of  Seattle.,  a  block  house  to  be  built  on 
the  lake  at  the  nearest  point  to  Seattle,  a  good  road  opened  with  Se 
attle,  and  boats  from  the  navy,  with  one  hundred  men,  to  be  placed 
on  the  lake.     Captain  Swartwout  does  not,  however,  by  his  instruc 
tions,  feel  authorized  either  to  co-operate  with  the  military  authorities 
of  the  Territory,  or  to  take  part  in  any  operation  carrying  his  force 
away  from  the  immediate  shore  of  the  Sound.     I  enclose  a  copy  of  rny 
letter  to  Captain  Swartwout  and  of  his  reply  thereto. 

5.  The  central  battalion  have  their  headquarters  at  Cornell's  prairie 
and  at  Porter's.     The  communication  with  the  rear  is  received  by  a 
block   house  and  ferry,  at  the  crossing  of  the  Puyallup,  and  block 
houses  at  Montgomery's,  at  the  Yellem  Prairie,  at  Nathan  Eaton's, 
and  Jones'.     This  battalion  numbers  in  the  field,  including  the  gar 
rison  of  Yellem  and  Montgomery's  and  the  crossing  of  the  Puyallup, 
about  150  men. 

6.  Our  supplies  are  drawn  mainly  from  the  country  between  this 
point  and  the  Cowlitz  landing.     The  route  is  well  secured  by  block 
houses. 

"7.  Lone  Tree  Point  is  also  held  by  a  volunteer  force  of  ten  men.  It 
guards  several  important  trails. 

8.  Bellingham  Bay  has  its  block  house  defended  by  fifteen  men  of 
Captain  Peabody's  company. 

9.  The  southern  battalion,  on  its  arrival  on  the  Sound,  will  be  for 
the  most  part  dismounted  and  sent  to  reinforce  the  central  battalion. 
The  two  battalions  will  then  operate  up  White  river,  towards  the 
Nachess  pass,  co-operating  with  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey. 

The  map  of  the  country  east  of  the  Cascades  will  show  the  large 
number  of  Indians  already  hostile,  or  who  may  be  incited  to  hostility, 
the  ease  with  which  they  may  communicate  with  each  other,  the  great 
number  of  excellent  trails,  the  large  extent  of  country  embraced  in 
the  theatre  of  operations,  and  the  facility  with  which  reinforcements 
can  be  sent  over  the  Cascades. 

Hence  the  importance  of  the  most  vigorous  and  decisive  blows  to  get 
possession  of  the  whole  country  east  of  the  Sound,  now  invested  with 
the  savages,  and  to  hold  in  our  hands  the  routes  over  the  Cascades, 
before  they  become  practicable  in  May,  and  hence  the  necessity  of  the 
most  vigorous  measures  east  of  the  Cascades,  in  order  that  the  Indians 
may  be  simultaneously  struck  in  the  Yakima  country. 

It  is  probable  that  the  hostile  Indians  rather  exceed  the  minimum 
estimate  of  two  hundred  men,  as  stated  in  my  memoir  to  General 
Wool,  a  copy  of  which  has  been  sent  to  the  department,,  but  I  do  not 
think  they  will  be  found  to  exceed  three  hundred  men. 

Their  headquarters  have  been  on  the  Muckleshoot  prairie,  now  oc 
cupied  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey,  and  now  they  have  moved  up 
either  White  or  Green  river.  But  there  are  bands  also  on  the  lake 
back  of  Seattle,  and  probably  of  Cedar  creek. 

The  map  will  show  that  the  hostiles  are  only  within  a  few  hours 
distance  of  every  reservation.  There  are  many  trails  known  only  to 
Ex.  Doc.  66 3 


34  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

the  Indians,  and  it  will  not  be  possible,  in  any  contingency,  entirely 
to  prevent  communication. 

From  the  hostile  camps  marauding  parties  can  steal  out,  and  turn 
ing  the  heads  of  the  Puyallup  and  Nisqually,  they  can,  in  from  six  to 
twelve  hours,  strike  any  settlement  from  Steilacoom  to  the  Cowlitz 
landing.  More  than  this,  there  are  places  where  they  can  on  this  line 
of  settlements  establish  themselves,  and  for  many  days  defy  all  our 
efforts  to  drive  them  out. 

Consider  the  face  of  the  country,  prairies  and  heavy  timber,  and 
many  streams,  almost  impenetrable  brushwood  on  the  banks,  and 
heavy  drift  along  either  shore,  there  is  not  a  road  or  trail  of  twenty 
miles  in  the  whole  Sound  country  which  does  not  afford  one  or  more 
excellent  ambuscades. 

Between  this  place  and  Cowlitz  landing  are  two  Indian  reservations. 
The  Chehales  and  Cowlitz.  The  former  can  easily  be  incited  to  hos 
tility  and  they  number  a  little  more  than  one  hundred  warriors.  We 
know  of  some  three  or  four  men  who  are  endeavoring  to  stir  up  the 
tribe  to  war.  My  plan  has  been  to  get  up  a  small  auxiliary  force  of 
some  fifteen  of  the  best  men  of  the  tribe,  who  make  scouts  every  few 
days  towards  the  head  of  the  Shookum-chuck.  It  has  been  found  to 
work  well.  The  difficulty  is,  that  if  the  men  of  the  tribe,  believed 
to  be  in  alliance  with  "Leschi/'  were  summarily  disposed  of,  the 
whole  tribe  would  break  out.  We  have  no  positive  evidence,  except 
the  impression  of  their  commander,  Captain  Ford,  who  is  of  opinion, 
that  in  his  last  trip  ten  of  the  men  tried  to  kill  him.  He  has  great 
daring  and  presence  of  mind,  and  he  believes  he  can  prevent  an  out 
break. 

So  of  the  reservation  opposite  Olympia,  Lieutenant  Gosnell  has 
made  one  scout  in  the  Nisqually  bottom  of  ten  days,  with  fourteen 
Indians.  Yesterday  morning  he  started  out  on  a  scout  of  three  days, 
with  thirty  Indians.  The  effect  of  the  first  scout  was  salutary.  Such 
will,  I  doubt  not,  be  the  effect  of  the  second.  Yet  on  the  first  scout 
Lieutenant  Gosnell  went  with  his  life  in  his  hands.  Some  of  his  In 
dians  were  more  than  suspected,  and  he  went  with  them  alone. 

The  most  melancholy  feature  of  this  war  is  that  the  Indians 
who  have  taken  the  lead  in  murdering  our  men,  our  women,  and  our 
children  were  those  who  have  received  the  most  favors  from  the 
whites,  and  were  held  by  them  in  the  most  consideration.  Many 
cases  have  occurred  of  Indians  killing  their  friends  and  benefactors. 
Are  you  surprised  that  a  general  distrust  of  all  Indians  pervades  the 
public  mind?  Therefore,  consider  the  task  which  has  been  imposed 
upon  the  territorial  authorities,  to  see  to  it  that  the  Indians  not  taking 
part  with  the  hostiles  are  treated  as  friends. 

In  short,  the  whole  country  is  a  frontier,  within  a  few  hours  of  the 
camp  of  the  hostile  Indians,  and  with  four  thousand  friendly  Indians 
in  our  midst,  of  whose  faith  we  cannot  be  certain. 

Our  safety  lies  in  two  things :  first,  to  carry  the  war  against  the 
hostiles  with  the  whole  force  of  the  Territory,  and  to  bring  them  to 
unconditional  submission  ;  and,  second,  to  give  no  cause  of  offence  to 
the  friendly  Indians,  even  in  the  cases  of  persons  more  than  suspected. 

You  have  served  in  an  Indian  country,  and  know  something  of  In- 


TERRITORIES    OP    WASHINGTON   AND    OREGON.  35 

dian  modes  of  thinking,  and  can  appreciate  that,  when,  in  a  contest 
like  this,  troops  have  once  entered  the  field,  they  must  not  "be  with 
drawn  till  they  have  accomplished  the  object  for  which  they  were  sent 
into  the  field.  There  must  he  no  changes  of  plan.  We  must  push 
forward  and  do  the  work  we  have  undertaken,  else  the  Indian  will 
say  lie  has  driven  us  from  the  field,  and  thereby  get  large  accessions 
from  tribes  who  otherwise  would  continue  friendly. 

General  Wool  has  recently  visited  this  Sound,  and,  with  a  full 
knowledge  of  the  course  taken  by  me  in  calling  out  the  volunteers  of 
the  Territory,  of  the  cordial  spirit  of  co-operation  between  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Casey  and  myself,  and  of  the  fact  that  the  volunteers  were 
actually  in  the  field  engaging  the  enemy,  has  ignored  effectually  the 
necessity  of  this,  but  has  practically  admitted  it  in  directing  Colonel 
Casey  to  make  a  requisition  upon  me  for  two  companies  of  volunteers. 
This  requisition  I  have  refused  to  comply  with,  for  reasons  which  will 
be  found  in  my  letter  to  Colonel  Casey  and  Major  General  Wool,  here 
with  enclosed. 

Those  reasons,  it  seems  to  me,  are  conclusive,  and  they  show  the 
necessity  of  removing  from  the  command  of  the  department  of  the  Pa 
cific  a  man  who  has  by  his  acts,  so  far  as  this  Territory  is  concerned, 
shown  an  utter  incapacity. 

I  will  most  respectfully  call  your  attention  to  my  letter  to  General 
Wool,  and  to  his  letter  to  which  mine  was  an  answer,  and  I  simply 
ask  that  justice  may  be  done  between  us. 

So  long  as  I  am  the  governor  of  Washington,  and  till  I  receive  in 
structions  from  my  superiors,  I  shall  pass  on  in  the  path  indicated  in 
that  letter  to  General  Wool. 

I  beg  leave  respectfully  to  recapitulate,  briefly,  the  points  of  differ 
ence. 

1.  General  Wool  states  that  the  movement  of  the  Oregon  volunteers 
was  entirely  unnecessary,  and  precipitated  the  Walla- Walla  and  other 
tribes  into  hostility. 

I  assert  that  this  movement  probably  saved  my  party  from  destruc 
tion,  and  that  the  Indians  then  hostile  had  been  so  even  before  the 
Oregon  volunteers  moved  against  them. 

2.  General  Wool  states  that  Governor  Curry  had  no  right  to  move 
his  troops  into  the  Territory  of  Washington. 

I  assert,  and  have  shown,  that  the  Oregon  volunteers  fought  the 
Indians  mainly  of  Oregon,  and  that,  near  the  confines  of  the  two  Ter 
ritories. 

3.  General  Wool  states,  that  if  the  Oregon  volunteers  are  with 
drawn,  he  will  have  no  trouble  in  managing  affairs  and  keeping  the 
Nez  Percys  friendly. 

I  state,  officially,  to  General  Wool  and  to  the  department,  that  the 
Nez  Perces  are  in  my  hands,  and  that  without  an  armed  man  I  will 
undertake  to  keep  the  Nez  Perces  friendly,  if  General  Wool  does  not 
interfere  with  me  in  the  management  of  these  Indians.  But  I  also 
state  that  General  Wool,  in  addition  to  his  regular  force,  will  require 
the  best  efforts  of  the  Oregon  volunteers,  to  strike  such  blows  this  spring 
and  summer  as  will  protect  the  settlements.  He  can  do  nothing  more. 


86  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

He  must  wait  till  next  winter  to  strike  blows  to  end  the  war  east  of 
the  Cascades.     I  refer  to  my  memoir. 

The  department  will  thus  see  that  I  consider  the  war  east  of  the  Cas 
cades  of  great  magnitude,,  and  that  it  would  have  been  vastly  greater 
were  it  not  for  the  concurrence  of  two  things.  1st.  The  movement  of 
the  Oregon  volunteers  to  the  Walla-Walla  valley;  and  2d.  My  return 
by  the  direct  route,  and  not  by  the  way  of  New  York. 

It  is  simply  an  exigency  to  be  met,  and  met  by  all  the  authorities  in 
the  spirit  of  cordial  co-operation,  looking  to  the  public  good  alone, 
without  any  reference  to  personal  considerations. 

I  have  therefore  suggested  to  General  Wool  the  necessity  of  recog 
nizing  the  services  of  the  Oregon  volunteers ;  but  I  expect  nothing 
from  him,  and  I  shall  therefore  take  my  own  course^  with  the  deter 
mination  that  if  disasters  shall  occur,  not  a  tittle  of  the  responsibility 
shall  be  attached  to  me. 

The  war  here  must  be  ended  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  all  the  dis 
posable  force  kept  in  the  field  till  the  enemy's  country  is  occupied  and 
his  force  be  scattered. 

All  our  horsemen  must  then  be  ready  to  cross  the  Cascades  to  move 
against  the  hostiles,  who  may  then,  with  greatly  superior  numbers, 
be  encountering  the  troops. 

I  have  therefore  ordered  all  the  troops  from  the  Columbia  valley  to 
to  the  Sound,  and  have  directed  a  train  of  100  pack  animals  and  40 
wagons  to  be  ready  to  cross  the  Nachess  the  last  of  May. 

I  have  ordered  that  supplies  and  transportation  be  engaged,  to  place 
in  depot  at  Walla- Walla  75  days'  provisions  for  250  men. 

The  Oregon  volunteers  have  crossed  Snake  river,  and  have  already 
probably  struck  the  enemy.  Should  they  succeed  in  striking,  on  their 
return,  the  enemy  in  the  Yakima  country,  and  should  the  movement 
be  followed  up  by  the  regular  troops,  I  trust  that  my  operations  will 
be  confined  to  the  country  on  the  Sound. 

Should,  however,  nothing  decisive  be  done  in  the  Yakima  country 
till  the  passes  are  open,  our  situation  here  will  be  critical,  and  the  de 
fence  of  the  Sound,  as  regards  the  Indians  east  of  the  Cascades,  may  be 
best  accomplished  by  waging  war  against  them  in  their  own  country. 

I  have  looked  to  this  exigency  from  the  beginning ;  hence  volun 
teers  were  raised  for  six  months ;  have  supplies  and  transportation  for 
the  same  period.  But  we  will  be  prepared  for  the  worst  and  hope  for 
the  best. 

The  following  papers  accompany  this  report: 

1.  Copy  of  General  Wool's  reply  of  February  12,  1856,  to  my  me 
moir  to  him  of  the  23d  December  and  29th  January.     This  memoir 
has  already  been  transmitted  to  the  War  Department. 

2.  Copy  of  my  answer  to  this  reply,  dated  March. 

3.  Copy  of  my  letter  to  General  Wool,  on  his  arrival  at  Steilacoom, 
introducing  Adjutant  General  Tilton,  and  expressing  my  desire  to  co 
operate  with  the  regular  service. 

4.  Copy  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey's  letter,  calling  on  me  for  two 
companies  of  volunteers. 

5.  Copy  of  my  answer  to  the  same,  declining  to  call  out  the  com 
panies. 


TERRITORIES    OF    WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  37 

6.  A  copy  of  my  letter  to  Captain  Swartwout,  commanding  naval 
forces  in  the  Sound,  proposing  a  combined  movement  of  the  military 
and  naval  forces. 

7.  Copy  of  Captain  Swartwout's  letter,  declining  to  co-operate. 

I  have  thus  endeavored  to  lay  before  the  department  the  condition 
of  affairs,  and  the  measures  of  preparation  and  precaution  taken  by 
me  to  protect  our  suffering  people,  and  I  have  the  -honor,  sir,  to  be, 
very  respectfully,  your  most  obedient, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  Territory  of  Washington. 
Hon.  JEFFERSON  DAVIS, 

Secretary  of  War,  Washington  City. 


HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  PACIFIC, 

Benicia,  California,  February  12,  1856. 

SIR:  I  received  your  communication  of  the  23d  of  December,  and 
29th  January,  1856,  on  the  6th  instant,  but  too  late  to  reply  to  it  by 
the  return  steamer.  For  the  information  which  it  imparts  you  have 
my  thanks.  When  you  know  my  instructions  to  Colonel  Wright,  of 
the  9th  infantry,  at  Vancouver,  you  will  discover  that  many  of  your 
suggestions  have  been  anticipated.  In  presenting,  however,  your 
plan  of  campaign,  which  is  a  very  extended  one,  you  should  have 
recollected  that  I  have  neither  the  resources  of  a  Territory,  nor  the 
Treasury  of  the  United  States,  at  my  command.  Still  you  may  be 
assured  that  the  war  against  the  Indians  will  be  pros3cuted  with  all 
the  vigor,  promptness  and  efficiency  I  am  master  of,  at  the  same  time 
without  wasting  unnecessarily  the  means  and  resources  at  my  disposal 
by  untimely  and  unproductive  expeditions.  With  the  additional  force 
which  recently  arrived  at  Vancouver  and  at  the  Dalles,  I  think  I  shall 
be  able  to  bring  the  war  to  a  close  in  a  few  months,  provided  the  exter 
mination  of  the  Indians,  which  I  do  not  approve  of,  is  not  determined 
on,  and  private  war  prevented,  and  the  volunteers  withdrawn  from  the 
Walla- Walla  country. 

Whilst  I  was  in  Oregon  it  was  reported  to  me,  that  many  citizens, 
with  a  due  proportion  of  volunteers,  and  two  newspapers,  advocated 
the  extermination  of  the  Indians.  This  principle  has  been  acted  on  in 
several  instances,  without  discriminating  between  enemies  and  friends, 
which  has  been  the  cause  in  southern  Oregon  of  sacrificing  many  inno 
cent  and  worthy  citizens.  As  in  the  case  of  Major  Lupton  and  his 
party,  (volunteers,)  who  killed  twenty-five  Indians,  eighteen  of  whom 
were  women  and  children.  These  were  friendly  Indians,  on  their  way 
to  the  Indian  reservation,  where  they  expected  protection  from  the 
whites.  This  barbarous  act  is  the  cause  of  the  present  contest  in  the 
Rogue  Paver  country,  and  as  Captain  Judah,  U.  S.  A.,  reports,  is  re 
taliatory  of  the  conduct  of  Major  Lupton. 

By  the  same  mail  which  brought  me  your  communication,  I  received 


38  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES  IN    THE 

one — now  before  me,  from  a  person  who  I  think  incapable  of  misrep 
resentation — which  informs  me  that  the  friendly  Cayuses  are  every 
day  menaced  with  death  by  Governor  Curry's  volunteers.  The  writer 
says  they  have  despoiled  these  Indians — who  have  so  nobly  followed 
the  advice  of  Mr.  Palmer  to  remain  faithful  friends  to  the  Americans — 
of  their  provisions.  To-day  he  says  these  same  volunteers,  without 
discipline  and  without  orders,  are  not  yet  satisfied  with  rapine  and 
injustice,  and  wish  to  take  away  the  small  remnant  of  animals  and 
provisions  left.  Every  day  they  run  off  the  horses  and  cattle  of  the 
friendly  Indians.  These  have  become  indignant,  and  will  not  be  much 
longer  restrained  from  resisting  conduct  so  unworthy  of  the  whites, 
who  have  made  them  so  many  promises  to  respect  and  protect  them  if 
they  remained  faithful  friends.  The  writer  further  says,  if  the  volun 
teers  are  not  arrested  in  their  brigand  actions,  the  Indians  will  save 
themselves  by  flying  to  the  homes  of  their  relations,  the  Nez  Perces, 
who  have  promised  them  help,  and  then  all  the  Indians  of  Oregon  and 
Washington  would  join  in  the  common  defence.  This  information  is 
in  a  great  measure  confirmed  by  a  person  who,  I  am  assured,  enjoys 
your  respect  and  confidence. 

I  need  not  say,  although  I  had  previously  instructed  Colonel  Wright 
to  take  possession  of  the  Walla- Walla  country  at  the  earliest  moment 
practicable,  that  I  directed  him  to  give  protection  as  soon  as  he  could 
to  the  friendly  Cayuses  from  the  depredations  of  the  volunteers.  It  is 
such  conduct  as  here  complained  of  that  irritates  and  greatly  increases 
the  ranks  of  the  hostile  tribes  ;  and  if  the  Nez  Perces  join  in  the  war 
against  us,  which  I  hope  to  prevent,  we  shall  require  a  much  larger 
force  than  we  now  have  in  Washington  and  Oregon  Territories  to  re 
sist  savage  barbarities  and  to  protect  the  whites. 

I  have  recently  sent  to  Puget  Sound  two  companies  of  the  9th  in 
fantry.  These,  with  the  three  companies  there,  will  give  a  force  of 
nearly  or  quite  four  hundred  regulars,  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Casey.  This  force,  with  several  ships  of  war  in  the  Sound,  to 
which  will  be  added,  in  a  few  days,  the  United  States  steamer  Massa 
chusetts,  it  seems  to  me,  if  rightly  directed,  ought  to  be  sufficient  to 
bring  to  terms  two  hundred  Indian  warriors.  Captain  Keyes,  in  his 
last  report  received,  says  there  are  not  quite  two  hundred  in  arms  in 
that  region.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey  has  been  directed  to  prosecute 
the  war  with  the  greatest  vigilance  and  activity.  The  gallant  Cap 
tain  Swartwout,  who  goes  in  the  Massachusetts,  commander-in-chief 
of  the  naval  forces  in  the  Sound,  will,  I  am  assured,  zealously,  efficient 
ly,  and,  I  trust,  successfully  co-operate  with  Colonel  Casey  to  bring 
the  war  to  a  close. 

In  regard  to  the  operations  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  if  Gover 
nor  Curry's  volunteers  have  not  driven  the  friendly  Cayuses  and  the 
Nez  Perces  into  the  ranks  of  the  hostile  tribes,  (and  they  should  be 
withdrawn  from  the  Walla- Walla  country,)  I  have  great  hopes  that  I 
shall  be  able  to  bring  the  Indians  in  that  region  to  terms,  notwith 
standing  the  volunteers  killed  the  chief,  Pee-pee-mox-mox,  scalped 
him,  cut  off  his  ears  and  hands,  as  reported  by  volunteers,  and  sent 
them  to  their  friends  in  Oregon.  All  this,  too,  after  he  met  them 
under  a  flag  of  truce,  declaring  he  "was  for  peace,  that  he  did  not 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON   AND   OREGON.  39 

wish  to  fight,  that  his  people  did  not  wish  to  fight/'  and  that  if  any 
of  his  young  men  had  done  wrong  he  would  make  restitution,  while 
he  at  the  same  time  offered  the  volunteers  cattle  for  food.  Such  con 
duct  may  have  caused  feelings  difficult  to  overcome.  I  trust,  however, 
I  will  be  ahle  to  do  it. 

As  soon  as  the  war  is  terminated  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  I 
will  be  able  to  send  all  my  disposable  forces  against  the  Indians  in 
Kogue  river  and  Puget  Sound.  It  is,  however,  due  to  truth  to  say,, 
at  no  time  were  volunteers  required,  or  in  any  sense  of  the  term  neces 
sary,  for  the  defence  of  the  inhabitants  of  Oregon,  from  the  depreda 
tions  or  barbarities  of  Indians  occupying  the  country  east  of  the  Cas 
cade  mountains.  Nor  was  there  any  circumstance  to  justify  Governor 
Curry  in  sending  his  troops  from  Oregon  to  Washington  Territory  to 
make  war  on  the  Walla- Wallas,  from  whom  the  Oregonians  had  no 
danger  whatever  to  apprehend.  On  this  subject  I  would  refer  you  to 
the  report  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  dated  the  3d  of  December,  rela 
tive  to  the  affairs  of  the  army,  in  which  he  says,  "  the  department  at 
this  distance,  and  in  the  absence  of  more  definite  information,  espe 
cially  in  regard  to  the  extent  of  the  combination  among  the  hostile 
tribes,  cannot  judge  what  volunteer  reinforcements  to  the  regular 
troops  may  be  necessary.  This  is  a  matter  which  must  necessarily  be 
left  to  the  military  commander  in  the  department  of  the  Pacific." 

At  the  conclusion  of  your  communication  you  say  "it  is  due  to 
frankness  that  I  should  state  that  I  have  determined  to  submit  to  the 
department  the  course  taken  by  the  military  authorities  in  disbanding 
the  troops  raised  in  the  Territory  of  Washington  for  my  relief.  No 
effort  was  made,  although  the  facts  were  presented  both  to  Major 
General  Wool  and  Major  Raines  to  send  me  assistance.  The  regular 
troops  were  all  withdrawn  into  garrison,  and  I  was  left  to  make  my 
way  the  best  I  could  through  tribes  known  to  be  hostile.  It  remains 
to  be  seen -whether  the  commissioner,  selected  by  the  President  to 
make  treaties  with  Indians  in  the  interior  of  the  continent,  is  to  be 
ignored  and  his  safety  left  to  chance." 

In  your  "  frankness"  and  determination  to  represent  me  to  the  de 
partment,  I  trust  you  will  be  governed  by  truth,  and  truth  only. 
Perhaps  it  is  equally  due  to  frankness  on  my  part  to  say,  that  your 
communication  is  the  first  that  I  have  received  in  relation  to  yourself, 
or  on  any  subject  whatever  touching  the  Indian  war,  from  any  civil 
functionary  either  in  Washington  or  Oregon  Territories  ;  and  I  have 
received  but  one  from  the  military,  and  that  was  from  Colonel  Nes- 
mith,  who  requested  me  to  furnish  him  with  two  howitzers,  which  I 
refused.  I  have  only  to  add  that  I  disbanded  no  troops  raised  for 
your  relief;  and  your  communication  gave  me  the  first  intelligence 
that  any  were  raised  for  such  a  purpose. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

Major  General. 

To  his  Excellency  ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 

Governor  of  Washington  Territory. 


40  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 


No.  2. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY, 

Olympia,  March  20,  1856. 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  commu 
nication  of  the  12th  February,  and  to  state  generally,  in  answer  there 
to,  that  the  events  of  the  past  four  weeks,  in  connexion  with  your  own 
official  course,  affords  satisfactory  evidence  that  the  most  objectionable 
positions  of  your  letter  have  been  abandoned,  and  that  you  have  finally 
become  awakened  to  the  true  condition  of  the  Indian  war,  and  are 
seeking  to  make  some  amends  for  the  unfortunate  blunders  of  the 
past. 

You  have  probably  learned  how  much  you  have  been  misled  in  your 
views  of  the  operations  of  the  Oregon  volunteers,  and  how  much  un 
necessary  sympathy  you  have  wasted  upon  the  infamous  Pee-pee-mox- 
mox.  For  your  own  reputation  have  I  felt  pain  at  the  statements 
made  in  your  letter  to  me,  for  I  am  the  authoritative  witness  in  the 
case,  and  in  the  letter  which  submitted  your  own  action,  in  refusing 
to  send  me  succor,  I  have  presented  briefly  the  facts,  showing  the 
unmitigated  hostility  of  that  chief.  I  assert  that  I  can  prove,  by  in- 
contestible  evidence,  that  Pee-pee-mox-mox  had  been  hostile  for 
months ;  that  he  exerted  his  influence  to  effect  a  general  combination 
of  the  tribes ;  that  he  plundered  Walla- Walla  and  the  settlers  of  the 
valley,  distributing  the  spoils  to  his  men  and  the  neighboring  tribes 
as  war  trophies ;  that  he  rejected  the  intercession  of  the  friendly  Nez 
Perces  to  continue  peaceful ;  that  he  had  sworn  to  take  my  life  and 
cut  off  my  party ;  and  that  he  and  the  adjoining  tribes  of  Oregon  and 
Washington  had  taken  up  their  military  position  as  warriors  at  the 
proper  points  of  the  Walla-Walla  valley ;  and  all  this  before  the  vol 
unteers  of  Oregon  moved  upon  him. 

Pee-pee-mox-mox  was  slain  fairly.  I  have  investigated  that  matter 
on  the  ground,  having  not  only  the  testimony  of  the  officers. of  the 
Oregon  volunteers  and  the  eye-witnesses  of  his  death,  but  the  testi 
mony  of  the  friendly  Indians,  both  Cayuses  and  Nez  Perces.  He  was 
not  entrapped  by  a  flag  of  truce.  I,  of  course,  reprobate  the  indigni 
ties  subsequently  committed  upon  his  person. 

Are  you  aware,  sir,  that  the  great  victory  achieved  by  the  gallant 
volunteers  of  Oregon,  in  the  Walla- Walla  valley,  was  fought  near 
the  line  separating  the  two  Territories,  and  that  more  of  the  Indians 
of  Oregon  were  engaged  in  it  than  the  Indians  of  Washington? 
Your  letter  would  seem  to  show  that  you  were  ignorant  of  this  fact. 
Where,  sir,  did  you  derive  your  information? 

Half  the  Walla- Wallas  live  permanently  in  Oregon ;  all  the  Uma- 
tillas ;  over  one-half  of  the  Cayuses ;  all  the  John  Days,  Des-chutes, 
and  Tigh  Indians. 

These  were  the  Indians  that  met  the  volunteers  of  Oregon,  and  all 
these  Indians  were,  by  an  arrangement  made  between  General  Palmer 
and  myself,  under  the  charge  of  the  Oregon  agents. 

These  Indians  were  reinforced,  after  the  first  three  days  fight,  by 
one  hundred  Palouses,  detached  from  the  force  under  Kam-ai-a-kin. 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  41 

That  some  turbulent  men  of  the  Oregon  volunteers  have  done  injury 
to  the  friendly  Cayuses,  is  unquestionable,  and  it  is  reprobated  by  the 
authorities  and  the  citizens  of  both  Territories.  It  has,  however,  been 
grossly  exaggerated.  Had,  sir,  the  regulars  moved  up  to  Walla-Walla 
valley,  as  I  most  earnestly  urged  both  Major  Kaines  and  Colonel 
Wright,  both  by  letter  and  in  person,  these  Indians  would  have  been 
protected.  They  could  not  act  because  they  had  no  authority  from 
you. 

The  presence  of  a  single  company  would  have  been  sufficient.  The 
responsibility,  if  evil  follows,  will  attach,  sir,  to  you  as  well  as  to  the 
volunteers  of  Oregon. 

The  Nez  Perces,  though  a  portion  live  in  Oregon,  are,  by  the  ar 
rangement  before  referred  to  between  General  Palmer  and.  myself, 
all  under  my  administrative  charge,  and  if  left  alone  will  continue 
friendly. 

I  have  heard  from  them  long  since  the  friend  to  whom  you  allude. 
I  have  a  staff  officer  in  their  country.  They  are  organized  for  self 
protection,,  and  if  your  operations  are  conducted  with  ordinary  judg 
ment,  there  will  not  a  man  of  them  join  in  the  war.  I  have  to  refer 
you,  sir,  to  my  memoir  for  my  views,  which  will  be  found  to  bear  the 
test  of  experience,  and  I  would  advise  you,  sir,  in  considering  that 
memoir  to  bear  in  mind,  that,  as  regards  the  opinion  of  men,  who 
with  perhaps  not  very  inferior  abilities  to  your  own,  bring  greater 
special  experience,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  country  and  the  Indians, 
to  which  you  cannot  pretend,  it  will  be  prudent  not  to  despise  them. 

In  your  letter  of  the  12th  January,  you  state,  "  I  have  recently  sent 
to  Puget's  Sound  two  companies  of  the  9th  infantry.  These,  with 
the  three  companies  there,  will  give  a  force  of  nearly  or  quite  four 
hundred  regulars,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey.  This 
force,  with  several  ships  of  war  in  the  Sound,  to  which  will  be  added, 
in  a  few  days,  the  United  States  steamer  Massachusetts,  it  seems  to 
me,  if  rightly  directed,  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  bring  to  terms  two 
hundred  Indian  warriors.  Captain  Keyes,  in  his  last  report  received, 
says  there  are  not  quite  two  hundred  in  arms  in  that  region." 

Here  you  have  expressed  a  very  confident  opinion  ;  you  thought 
proper  to  quote  Captain  Keyes  as  to  the  number  of  Indians.  But  you 
found  it  did  not  suit  your  purpose  to  refer  to  the  requisitions  he  had 
made  upon  you  for  six  additional  companies,  two  of  which  only  had 
been  sent  forward.  Nor  could  you  find  time  to  refer  to  the  fact  that 
Colonel  Casey  had  recommended,  after  the  war  was  over,  that  eight 
companies  should  be  permanently  stationed  for  the  protection  of  the 
Sound.  You  think  volunteers  entirely  unnecessary.  All  this  after 
having  received  from  the  executive  of  the  Territory  information  as  to 
the  condition  of  the  country. 

It  is  now  March,  a  month  later,  and  you  send  two  additional  com 
panies  of  regulars,  and  direct  Colonel  Casey  to  call  upon  me  for  two 
companies  of  volunteers.  Thus  have  you  practically  acknowledged 
that  you  were  wrong  and  that  I  was  right,  and  thus  have  I  your  testi 
mony  as  against  yourself  in  vindication  of  the  necessity  of  my  calling 
out  volunteers. 

As  regards  this  call  for  volunteers,  it  is  to  be  presumed  "that 


42  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

Colonel  Casey  informed  you  that  the  whole  available  force  of  the 
Sound  Territory  was  bearing  arms,  and  that  the  great  proportion  of 
them  were  actively  engaging  the  enemy  ;  that,  organized  in  two  bat 
talions,  the  northern  battalion  occupied  the  line  of  the  Snow-how- 
mish,  where  they  are  establishing  block  houses  and  closing  the  passes 
of  the  Sno-qual-rnie  ;  that  the  central  battalion  was  occupying  the 
military  road  on  the  Nachess,  in  relation  to  which  road  and  its  mili 
tary  bearings  your  aid-de-camp,  Lieutenant  Arnold,  will  be  able  to 
give  you  full  information  ;  and  that  on  both  lines  decisive  blows  had 
been  struck  ;  and,  also,  that  it  was  beyond  the  ability  of  our  citizens 
to  raise  an  additional  company  of  even  fifty  men  to  honor  your  requi 
sition. 

I  have  a  right  to  hold  you  to  a  full  knowledge  of  our  condition  here. 
If  you  say  you  were  uninformed,  then  you  are  not  fit  for  your  position 
and  should  give  place  to  a  better  man.  If  you  were  informed,  then 
your  measures,  as  a  military  man,  manifest  an  incapacity  beyond  ex 
ample. 

Therefore,  the  call  upon  me  for  two  companies  of  volunteers  is  a 
call  upon  me  to  withdraw  the  troops  now  in  the  field  with  sixty  to 
eighty  days'  provisions,  after  decisive  blows  had  been  struck,  and 
when  everything  is  ready  to  strike  a,  and,  perhaps,  the  decisive  blow 
to  end  the  war. 

I  am  too  old  a  soldier  ever  to  abandon  a  well  considered  plan  of 
campaign,  or  to  do  otherwise  than  to  push  forward,  with  all  my  ener 
gies,  in  the  path  marked  out,  promising,  as  it  does,  the  speedy  termi 
nation  of  the  war  ;  and,  sir,  I  am  too  wary  a  man  not  to  detect  the 
snare  which  has  been  laid  for  me. 

You  never  expected,  sir,  that  the  requisition  would  be  complied 
with  ;  you  knew  it  was  a  practical  impossibility.  But  not  having  the 
courage  to  acknowledge  your  error,  it  was  resorted  to,  in  the  hope 
that  my  refusing  your  requisition  might  enable  you  to  occupy  my 
vantage  ground  and  throw  me  on  the  defensive.  I  hold  you,  sir,  to 
the  facts  of  the  case,  clearly  demonstrating,  and  by  your  own  confes 
sion,  too,  the  propriety  of  my  course  and  the  necessity,  on  my  part, 
of  a  steady  adherence  to  it. 

I  enclose  a  copy  of  my  letter  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey,  in  which 
my  views  in  regard  to  this  scheme  of  yours  is  given  in  full. 

You  have  referred  to  the  atrocities  committed  upon  the  friendly  In 
dians  by  the  whites.  I  know  nothing  of  what  has  occurred  in  southern 
Oregon,  but  I  have  to  state  that  no  man,  to  my  knowledge,  in  the 
Territory  of  Washington,  advocates  the  extermination  of  the  Indians. 
The  authorities  here  have  not  only  used  every  exertion  to  protect 
them,  but  their  exertions  have  been  completely  successful.  Did  you 
learn,  sir,  in  your  brief  visit  to  the  Sound,  that  nearly  four  thousand 
friendly  Indians  have  been  moved  from  the  war  ground  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  Sound  and  its  vicinity  to  the  adjacent  islands,  and  have  for 
nearly  five  months  been  living  in  charge  of  local  agents?  That  not 
an  Indian,  in  the  whole  course  of  this  war,  has  been  killed  by  the 
whites,  except  in  battle?  That  when  a  military  commission,  com 
posed  of  a  majority  of  volunteer  officers,  tried,  some  months  since, 
eight  Indians,  only  one  was  convicted,  and  that  the  sentence  of  death 


TERRITORIES   OF    WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  43 

passed  upon  him  lias  not  not  yet  been  executed?  It  is  the  good  con 
duct  of  our  people,  sir,  that  has  so  strengthened  the  hands  of  the  au 
thorities,  as  to  enable  them  to  control  these  friendly  Indians  and  pre 
vent  any  considerable  accession  to  the  ranks  of  the  hostile. 

And  yet  we  have  daily  rumors,  and  have  had  for  the  last  five 
months,  that  this  tribe  and  that  would  break  out.  For  at  times  great 
uneasiness  has  prevailed  amongst  them ;  and  they  are  Indians,  and, 
as  such,  they  sympathise  with  their  brethren.  But  the  course  of  the 
authorities  has  been  firm,  energetic,  and  decisive,  commanding  the 
confidence  of  the  community  and  the  affections  of  the  Indians. 

Besides  these  four  thousand  on  reservations  in  charge  of  local 
agents,  we  have  three  thousand  more,  on  the  western  shore  ot  the 
Sound  and  on  the  Straits  of  Fuca. 

I  have  recently  heard  from  the  Nez  Perces,  the  Coeur  d'Alenes,  and 
the  Spokanes.  The  former  are  firm  in  their  allegiance.  But  the 
Spokanes  urge  me  to  have  a  military  force  in  the  great  prairie,  be 
tween  them  and  the  hostile  Indians,  so  these  latter  may  not  be  driven 
to  their  country,  and  thus  incite  their  young  men  to  war. 

The  letter  of  Garry,  the  chief  of  the  Spokanes,  is  a  most  plaintive 
and  earnest  call  for  help,  so  his  hands  may  be  strengthened  in  keep 
ing  his  people  to  their  plighted  faith ;  and  the  coincidence  is  remark 
able,  that  this  Indian  chief,  a  white  man  in  education  and  views  of 
life,  should  ask  me  to  do  the  very  thing  I  have  urged  upon  you ;  for 
you  will  remember,  in  my  memoir,  I  urge  that  the  troops  in  operat 
ing  against  the  Indians  should  be  interposed  between  the  friendly  and 
hostile  tribes,  to  prevent  those  now  friendly  from  joining  in  the  war. 
I  have,  sir,  studied  the  character  of  these  Indians,  and  my  views  as  to 
the  influence  upon  the  friendly  Indians,  of  the  mode  of  carrying  on 
the  war  against  the  hostiles,  are  confirmed  by  the  only  highly  edu 
cated  Indian  of  either  Oregon  or  Washington,  and  the  head  chief  of 
the  very  tribe  in  reference  to  which  I  made  this  recommendation  and 
felt  the  most  solicitude. 

Not  a  word  has  ever  passed  between  us  in  reference  to  the  subject. 

You  are  doubtless  informed  that  the  Indians  have  commenced  offen 
sive  operations  east  of  the  Cascades,  and  have  attacked  the  steamers 
plying  between  the  Cascades  and  the  Dalles,  and  the  trains  moving 
towards  Walla- Walla. 

This  bold  course  will  enable  them  to  operate  upon  the  Spokane, 
the  Colvilles,  the  Okinekanes,  the  Lower  Pend  d'Oreilles,  the  Coeur 
d'Alenes,  who  have  five  hundred  warriors,  and  the  tribes  north  of  the 
line,  who  had  three  to  five  hundred  more,  unless  struck  east  of  the 
Cascades  before  the  close  of  May,  you  will  have  to  meet  a  combination 
of  from  1,800  to  2,000  warriors.  Their  families  and  stock  will  be  in 
secure  retreats  in  the  mountains,  and  unless  before  that  time  the 
Indians  here  are  completely  subdued,  the  passes  over  the  mountains 
secured  by  block  houses,  it  will  be  within  the  range  of  probabilities, 
that  a  large  portion  of  the  friendly  Indians  on  the  Sound  can  be  inci 
ted  to  hostilities.  The  Clikatats  and  Yakimas  know  all  the  passes  of 
the  Cascades,  and  can  readily  cross  after  the  month  of  May.  Hence 
the  necessity  of  the  most  vigorous  blows  now,  of  no  changes  of  plan, 
of  having  troops  in  the  settlements,  to  guard  against  any  sudden  out 
break  of  the  friendly  Indians. 


44  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES   IN   THE 

Two  men  have  recently  been  killed  within  sixteen  miles  of  the  capi 
tal  of  the  Territory,  by  a  band  of  marauders  who  have  only  been 
driven  out  within  the  last  few  days. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  present  condition  of  tilings  imposes  upon 
you  the  necessity  of  recognizing  the  services  of  the  volunteers  of  the 
two  Territories  now  in  the  field,  and  of  your  doing  everything  to  facili 
tate  their  operations.  But  if  you  waste  your  exertions  in  the  fruitless 
effort  to  induce  either  the  authorities  to  withdraw  their  troops,  to  aban 
don  their  plan  of  campaign,  in  order  to  comply  with  your  requisitions 
or  to  meet  your  peculiar  notions,  1  warn  you  now,  sir,  that  I,  as  the 
Governor  of  Washington,  will  cast  upon  you  the  whole  responsibility 
of  any  difficulty  which  may  arise  in  consequence,  and  that  by  my  firm, 
steady  and  energetic  course,  and  by  my  determination  to  co-operate 
with  the  regular  service,  whatever  may  be  the  provocation  to  the  con 
trary,  I  will  vindicate  the  justice  of  my  course,  and  maintain  my  repu 
tation  as  a  faithful  public  servant.  I  warn  you,  sir,  that  unless  your 
course  is  changed,  you  will  have  difficulties  in  relation  to  which  your 
own  salvation  will  be  the  firm  and  decided  policy  of  the  two  Territo 
ries,  whose  services  you  have  ignored,  whose  people  you  have  calumni 
ated,  and  whose  respect  you  have  long  ceased  to  possess. 

You  have  erred  in  your  judgment  as  to  volunteers  being  needed  at 
all  here,  and,  as  I  have  before  observed,  in  calling  for  volunteers  after 
increasing  a  force  deemed  by  you  sufficient,  two  companies,  you 
have  vindicated  the  justice  and  necessity  of  rny  acts  in  organizing  the 
people  of  the  Territory,  as  its  executive. 

I  have  thus  practically  your  own  endorsement  that  I  have  judged 
rightly,  when  you  were  in  error,  and  my  judgment  having  thus  been 
sanctioned  in  calling  out  volunteers,  I  prefer  to  rely  upon  it  in  the 
matter  both  of  the  number  required  and  the  organization  which  will 
give  them  the  most  efficiency. 

Can  you  presume,  sir,  to  be  able  to  correct  your  opinions  by  a  hasty 
visit  to  the  Sound  for  a  few  hours,  and  do  you  expect  that  having 
taken  my  deliberate  course,  that  I  shall  change  my  plans  on  a  single 
intimation  from  you,  without  even  a  conference  between  us?  Were 
you  desirous,  sir,  to  harmonize  and  unite  the  elements  of  strength  on 
the  Soimd,  you  would  have  seen  that  it  was  your  duty,  at  least,  to  have 
informed  me  of  your  presence,  and  to  have  invited  me  to  a  conference. 
There  was  ample  time  for  it.  For  it  was  less  difficult  for  me  to  reach 
you  on  receiving  notice  than  Colonel  Casey,  and  I  have  shown 
throughout  the  most  anxious  desire  to  co-operate  with  the  regular 
service. 

Whilst  in  the  country  in  the  fall  and  winter  you  complained  that 
the  authorities  of  the  two  Territories  did  not  communicate  with  you^ 
why  did  you  not  inform  me  of  your  presence  in  the  Sound,  on  your 
arrival  at  Steilacoom  ? 

I  learned  of  your  probable  arrival  by  simply  learning  on  Saturday 
morning,  by  my  express,  of  your  having  left  Vancouver,  and  I  im 
mediately  dispatched  the  chief  of  my  staff  to  wait  upon  you  with  a 
letter.  But  you  were  gone,  and  whether  you  did  not  know  the  cour 
tesy  due  to  the  civil  authorities  of  this  Territory,  who  had  taken  the 
proper  course  to  place  themselves  in  relations  with  you,  or  whether 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON   AND  OREGON.  45 

you  were  unwilling  to  meet  a  man  whose  safety  you  had  criminally 
neglected,  and  whose  general  views  you  had  been  compelled  to  adopt, 
is  a  matter  entirely  immaterial  to  me. 

I  enclose  a  copy  of  the  letter  transmitted  by  the  hands  of  the  Ad 
jutant  General  James  Tilton,  esq.,  the  surveyor  general  of  the  Ter 
ritory  of  Washington. 

After  the  defeat  of  the  Indians  in  the  Walla- Walla  valley,  they 
were  completely  cowed,  and  for  weeks  spies  only  crossed  the  Snake 
river  to  examine  the  country.  Gradually  becoming  emboldened,  they 
have  since  come  over  in  small  parties,  and  got  some  small  successes 
in  running  off  horses,  and  now  they  have  more  than  recovered  from 
the  prestige  of  that  defeat.  They  are  making  attacks  on  the  whole 
line  of  communication,  and  are  now  firm  and  united,  more  hopeful, 
and  have  more  strength  than  when  the  war  was  commenced. 

What,  sir,  would  have  been  the  effect  if  Governor  Curry  had  not 
made  the  movement  which  you  condemn,  and  my  party  with  the 
friendly  Nez  Perces  had  been  cut  off.  Sir,  there  would  have  been  a 
hurricane  of  war  between  the  Cascade  and  Bitter  Eoot,  and  three 
thousand  warriors  would  now  be  in  arms.  Every  tribe  would  have 
joined,  including  the  Snakes,  and  the  spirit  of  hostility  would  have 
spread  east  of  the  Bitter  Root  to  the  Upper  Pend  d'Oreilles. 

I  believe,  sir,  I  would  have  forced  my  way  through  the  five  or  six 
hundred  hostiles  in  the  Walla- Walla  valley  with  fifty  odd  white  men 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty  Nez  Perces.  Would  you  have  expected  it? 
Could  the  country  expect  it  ?  And  what  was  the  duty  of  those  having 
forces  at  their  command  ?  Governor  Curry  sent  his  volunteers,  and 
defeated  the  enemy.  You  disbanded  the  company  of  Washington 
Territory  volunteers  raised  especially  to  be  sent  to  my  aid. 

I  have  reported  your  refusal  to  send  me  succor  to  the  Department 
of  War,  and  have  given  some  of  the  circumstances  attending  that 
refusal.  The  company  was  under  the  command  of  Captain  William 
McKay.  Before  your  arrived,  there  was  a  pledge  that  it  should  be 
mustered  into  the  regular  service  and  sent  to  my  assistance.  Major 
Raines  informed  me  that  he  did  everything  in  his  power  to  induce 
you  to  send  it  on.  William  McKay  informs  me  that  he  called  on  you 
personally,  and  that  you  would  do  nothing.  I  am  informed  that  your 
own  aid-de-camp,  Lieutenant  Arnold,  endeavored  to  get  you  to  change 
your  determination .  What  was  your  answer  ?  l '  Governor  Stevens 
can  take  care  of  himself. "  u  Governor  Stevens  will  go  down  the  Mis 
souri."  " Governor  Stevens  will  get  aid  from  General  Harney."  "If 
Governor  Stevens  wants  aid  he  will  send  for  it."  These  were  your 
answers,  according  to  the  changing  humor  of  the  moment. 

And  now,  sir,  in  view  of  your  assertion  that  you  disbanded  no 
troops  raised  for  my  relief,  and  that  my  communication  gave  you  the 
first  intelligence  that  any  were  raised  for  such  a  purpose,  I  commend 
the  chalice  to  your  own  lips,  "  that  I  trust  you  will  be  governed" 
hereafter  "by  the  truth,  and  the  truth  only." 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  most  obedient, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  of  Washington  Territory. 
Major  General  JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

Commanding  Pacific  Division. 


46  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 


No.  3. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  TERRITORY  OF  WASHINGTON, 

Olympia,  March  15,  1856. 

SIR  :  I  have  this  morning  heard  of  your  arrival  in  the  Territory  of 
Washington,  of  your  having  left  Vancouver  in  a  steamer  for  the 
Sound,  and  that  you  are  now  probably  at  Steilacoom. 

In  the  discharge  of  my  responsibilities  as  the  highest  federal  officer 
of  the  Territory  of  Washington,  and  in  view  of  my  oath  of  office,,  I 
have  called  out  a  large  force  of  volunteers  and  a  band  of  Indian  aux 
iliaries,  who  are  now  actively  engaging  the  enemy  in  the  field. 

Actuated  by  no  motive  than  the  public  good,  I  have  endeavored  to 
co-operate  with  the  military  and  naval  forces  in  the  Sound,  with  the 
object  that  all  and  every  available  means  of  carrying  on  the  war  should 
be  applied  as  a  unit  to  its  prosecution. 

I  therefore  send  the  adjutant  general  of  the  volunteer  forces,  James 
Tilton,  esq.,  to  confer  with  you.  He  is  instructed  to  advise  you  of 
the  plan  of  operations  which  I  have  adopted,  the  force  in  the  field, 
and  the  condition  of  the  country. 

I  have  to  assure  you  of  my  desire  to  co-operate  with  you  in  any 
plans  which  you  may  think  proper  to  adopt,  and  I  shall  be  pleased  to 
hear  from  you  in  reference  to  the  prosecution  of  the  campaign. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  and  Commander-in-chief. 

Major  General  JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

Commanding  Pacific  division. 


No.  4. 

HEADQUARTERS,  PUGET  SOUND, 
District  Fort  Steilacoom,  Washington  Territory,  March  15,  1856. 

SIR:  I  respectfully  request  that  you  will  at  once  issue  your  procla 
mation,  calling  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  two  companies  of 
volunteers,  to  serve  on  foot,  for  the  period  of  four  months,  unless 
sooner  discharged.  Each  company  to  consist  of  one  captain,  one  first 
and  one  second  lieutenant,  four  sergeants,  four  corporals,  and  seventy 
privates. 

I  wish  both  companies  to  be  mustered  into  service  at  Fort  Steila 
coom. 

The  authority  for  calling  for  the  above  named  troops  has  been  given 
by  the  general  commanding  the  department  of  the  Pacific. 

I  received,  yesterday,  an  accession  of  two  companies  of  the  ninth  in 
fantry.  With  this  accession  of  force,  and  the  two  companies  of  vol 
unteers  called  for,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  I  shall  have  a  sufficient 


TERRITORIES    OF   WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  47 

number  of  troops  to  protect  this  frontier,  without  the  aid  of  those  now 
in  the  service  of  the  Territory. 

Very  respectfully.,  your  obedient  servant, 

SILAS  CASEY, 
Lieutenant  colonel  $th  infantry, 

commanding  Puget  Sound  district. 
His  Excellency  I.  I.  STEVENS, 

Governor  Washington  Territory, 

Olympia,  Washington  Territory. 


No.  5. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY, 

Olympia,  March  1P>,  1856. 

SIR:  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  15th  instant,  advising  me* 
of  the  accession  to  your  command  of  two  companies  of  regulars,  and 
requesting  me  to  issue  my  proclamation  calling  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States  two  companies  of  volunteers,  to  serve  on  foot  for  the 
period  of  four  months,  unless  sooner  discharged.  These  companies 
you  wish  to  be  mustered  into  the  service  at  Fort  Steilacoom. 

You  also  express  the  opinion  that  if  this  requisition  be  complied 
with  you  will  have  a  sufficient  number  of  troops  to  protect  this  fron 
tier,  without  the  aid  of  those  now  in  the  service  of  the  Territory. 

I  am  also  advised  that  you  have  been  authorized  to  make  this  requi 
sition  for  troops  by  the  general  commanding  the  department  of  the 
Pacific. 

You  have  been  informed  by  me  not  only  of  the  volunteer  force 
which  has  been  called  out  to  protect  the  settlements  and  to  wage  war 
upon  the  Indians,  but  of  the  plan  of  campaign  which  I  have  adopted, 
of  the  position  which  these  troops  occupy,  and  of  the  blows  already 
struck  by  them  against  the  enemy. 

I  take  it  for  granted  that  this  information  has  been  communicated 
to  General  Wool,  and  has  been  considered  by  him  in  his  official  action. 

In  the  two  visits  which  I  have  made  to  Steilacoom  to  confer  with  you, 
one  of  them  made  at  great  personal  inconvenience,  I  have  waived  eti 
quette  in  my  anxious  desire  to  co-operate  with  the  regular  service.  I  have 
communicated  unreservedly  my  plans  and  views,  and  have  endeavored, 
so  far  as  my  sphere  was  concerned,  to  conduct  affairs  in  a  way  to  in 
sure  the  whole  force  operating  as  a  unit  in  the  prosecution  of  the  war. 

I  am  happy  to  say  that  in  our  several  intercourses  and  communica 
tions  you  have  met  me  in  the  same  spirit  of  co-operation,  to  the  extent 
that  the  impression  has  been  made  upon  my  mind,  that  such  disposi 
tion  had  been  made  of  the  volunteers,  in  your  opinion,  as  to  make 
them  an  efficipnt  element  in  the  general  combination. 

Now  your  requisition  on  me  to  issue  my  proclamation  to  call  into 
the  United  States  service  two  companies  of  volunteers,  in  connexion 
with  the  expression  of  your  opinion,  that  if  the  call  be  complied  with 
the  services  of  the  troops  now  in  the  service  of  the  Territory  may  be 


48  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

dispensed  with,  is,  in  fact,  a  call  on  me  to  withdraw  all  the  troops 
now  in  the  field  with  their  sixty  to  eighty  days'  provisions,  to  abandon 
the  block  houses,  to  leave  the  settlements  both  north  and  south  open 
to  the  attacks  of  the  marauding  Indians,  and  at  the  very  moment 
when  our  troops  were  prepared  to  strike  a,  and,  perhaps,  the  decisive 
blow,  to  abandon  the  campaign  and  re-organize  anew. 

Are  you  aware  that,  in  the  patriot  response  of  the  citizens  of  the 
Territory  to  the  call  of  the  executive,  over  one-half  of  our  able  bodied 
men  are  bearing  arms  ;  that  the  people  are  almost  entirely  living  in 
block  houses,  and  that  it  is  entirely  beyond  the  ability  of  our  citizens 
to  organize  an  additional  company  of  even  fifty  men. 

The  two  companies  you  call  for  can,  therefore,  not  be  raised,  except 
by  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops,  and  abandoning  the  campaign  at  the 
very  moment  the  prospects  are  flattering  to  end  the  war. 

For  these  reasons  alone  it  will  be  impossible  to  comply  with  your 
requisition,  nor  can  I  suppose  that  in  making  the  requisition  either 
Major  General  Wool,  or  yourself,  believed  for  a  moment  that  the  requi 
sition  would  be  seriously  entertained  by  me. 

But  I  am  of  opinion  that  even  were  the  requisition  complied  with, 
your  force  would  not  be  adequate  to  the  protection  of  this  frontier  and 
the  settlements.  Having  the  highest  respect  for  your  opinion,  know 
ing  how  conscientiously  and  carefully  you  approach  any  field  of  labor, 
and  how  thoroughly  you  investigate  it,  and  reach  your  conclusions,  I 
am  constrained  to  express  my  judgment  that  you  would  soon  be  obliged 
to  call  for  an  additional  force,  fully  equal  in  all  to  the  force  which  has 
l>een  called  out  by  my  previous  proclamation. 

In  such  a  case  I  have  no  alternative  than  to  act  according  to  my 
own  deliberate  judgment,  for  if,  waiving  my  own  judgment  to  yours, 
injury  should  result,  the  responsibility  would  attach  to  me  not  less 
than  to  yourself. 

Otherwise  why  is  the  militia  organized  and  the  executive  made  its 
commander-in-chief  ?  It  is  to  meet  emergencies  like  the  present. 

But  were  it  practicable  to  comply  with  your  requisitions,  and  were 
those  requisitions  for  a  force,  in  my  judgment,  competent,  I  should 
not  deem  it  expedient  to  place  the  force  thus  raised  under  the  command 
of  the  officers  of  the  regular  service. 

The  war  has  now  gone  on  five  months.  It  is  a  war  emphatically 
for  the  defence  of  the  settlements,  so  much  so  that  I  have  ordered  to 
the  Sound  four  companies  from  the  Columbia  river,  and  at  this  critical 
period  it  is  important  that  there  should  be  no  changes  in  the  com 
mand  or  in  the  plan. 

In  view  of  this,  and  also  in  view  of  the  changes  of  opinion  and  of 
plan  on  the  part  of  the  officer  in  chief  command  on  this  coast,  growing 
out  of  a  want  of  understanding  of  the  difficulties  to  be  encountered,  I 
am  of  opinion  that  the  whole  force  will  be  more  efficient,  and  that 
there  will  be  a  better  spirit  of  co-operation,  if  the  regular  and  volun 
teer  services  are  kept  distinct. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  the  campaign  is,  I  trust,  approaching  its  consum 
mation,  and  changes  of  plan  can  only  be  fraught  with  mischief. 

The  citizens  of  this  Territory  have  very  great  confidence  in  the 
officers  of  the  regular  service,  and  especially  is  this  the  case  with  the 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  49 

people  of  the  Sound.  Their  relations  have  been  more  than  cordial 
They  are  the  witnesses  of  the  efficiency  of  the  troops  stationed  here,, 
and  their  gratitude  has  been  announced  on  several  occasions  since  the 
organization  of  the  Territory. 

The  force  now  in  the  field  has  not  been  mustered  into  the  service  of 
the  Territory,  but  into  the  service  of  the  United  States.  My  author 
ity,  as  the  highest  federal  officer  of  the  Territory,  is  derived  from  the 
same  source  as  that  of  the  Major  General  commanding  the  Pacific  di 
vision.  I  am  commissioned  by  the  President,  and  I  act  under  the  laws 
of  Congress  and  the  responsibility  of  my  oath  of  office. 

For  these  reasons  your  requisitions  cannot  be  complied  with.  At 
the  same  time  you  may  rest  assured  of  my  doing  everything  in  my 
power  to  co-operate  with  you,  and  I  hope  that  through  the  action  of 
us  all  the  war  may  soon  be  closed,  and  the  suffering  inhabitants  of  the 
Territory  be  rescued  from  their  present  unhappy  condition. 

Truly  and  respectfully,  your  most  obedient, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  and  Commander-in-chief. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  SILAS  CASEY, 

Ninth  Infantry  ?  Commanding  Puget  Sound  Division, 

fort  Steilacoom,  Washington  Territory. 


No.  6. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  TERRITORY  OF  WASHINGTON, 
Olympia,  March  15,  1856. 

SIR:  I  have  dispatched  my  aid-de-camp,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Cros- 
bie,  to  confer  with  you  in  relation  to  a  combined  movement  of  the  naval 
and  military  forces  from  Seattle. 

I  have  selected  Colonel  Crosbie  for  this  duty  in  consequence  of  his 
great  familiarity  with  all  portions  of  the  country,  its  geography,  its 
Indian  tribes,  and  its  people. 

If  an  operation  could  go  on  from  Seattle,  say  a  boat  expedition  to 
the  lake,  the  establishment  of  a  block  house  on  that  lake,  and  a  good 
wagon  road  opened  therefrom  with  Seattle,  it  would  combine  admira 
bly  with  the  operations  now  going  on  from  this  quarter,  and  from  the 
Sno-ho-mish,  would  much  circumscribe  the  country  now  occupied  by  the 
hostiles,  would  promise  opportunities  of  striking  immediate  blows,  and 
would  probably  pave  the  way  for  the  final  blow  to  end  the  war. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  most  obedient, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  Territory  Washington. 

Captain  SAMUEL  SWARTWOUT, 

Commanding  Naval  Forces,  Puget  Sound,  Seattle. 

Ex.  Doc.  66 4 


50  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 


No.  f. 

UNITED  STATES  STEAMER  MASSACHUSETTS, 
Harbor  of  Seattle,  Washington  Territory,  March  16,  1856. 
SIR:    Your  letter  of  the  15th  instant  was  handed  to  me  to-day  by 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Crosbie. 

In  reply,  I  would  state  that  my  instructions,  upon  assuming  the 
command  of  the  United  States  naval  forces  in  Puget  Sound,  direct  me 
act  in  concert  with  the  military  forces  under  Major  General  Wool, 
where  the  same  can  be  done  within  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
Sound,  but  not  to  permit  any  portion  of  my  command  to  go  into  the 
interior.  If,  however,  I  were  at  liberty  to  co-operate  with  your  volun 
teers  in  prosecuting  the  expedition  you  have  projected,  it  would  be 
impracticable,  as  I  understand  that  the  river  from  here  to  the  lakes  is 
not  navigable  for  our  boats,  and  besides,  when  the  volunteers  leave 
this  place  the  inhabitants  will  be  entirely  dependent  upon  the  naval 
forces  here  in  the  event  of  an  attack  by  the  hostile  Indians. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

SAMUEL  SWART WOUT,  Commander, 
Commanding  United  States  Naval  Forces,  Puget  Sound. 
To  his  Excellency  ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 

Governor  and  Commander-in-chief  W.  T.  Volunteer  Forces. 


General  Wool  to  the  Commanding  General. 

BENICIA,  HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  or  THE  PACIFIC, 

San  Francisco,  March  20,  1856. 

COLONEL  :  Last  evening  I  returned  from  visiting  the  several  military 
posts  of  Crescent  City,  Fort  Orford,  and  Vancouver,  and  in  Puget 
Sound,  Fort  Steilacoom.  To  each  commandant  of  posts  and  districts 
I  gave  such  instructions  as  appeared  necessary  for  an  active,  vigilant, 
and  successful  prosecution  of  the  war  against  the  Indians. 

From  Vancouver  I  took  with  me  two  companies  of  the  9th  infantry, 
commanded  by  Major  Garnett,  and  landed  them  at  Steilacoom  on  the 
14th  March.  The  same  day  I  inspected  the  post  and  supplies.  The 
latter  were  abundant  and  of  good  quality. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey  appears  to  have  conducted  the  operations 
of  his  command  with  great  skill  and  judgment.  With  the  additional 
companies  under  Major  Garnett,  he  will  soon  bring  the  war  to  a  close 
on  Puget  Sound,  unless  prevented  by  Governor  Stevens'  determina 
tion  to  carry  on  the  war  independent  of  the  United  States  troops. 
This  remark  is  equally  applicable  to  the  conduct  of  Governor  Curry, 
of  Oregon,  who  is  still  carrying  on  the  war  against  the  Indians  east 
of  the  Cascade  mountains.  These  two  governors  appear  to  be  run 
ning  a  race  to  see  who  can  dip  the  deepest  into  the  treasury  of  the 
United  States.  In  the  dense  forests  of  Puget  Sound  another  Florida 
war  can  be  easily  carried  on,  and  at  an  expense  of  twenty  or  more 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  51 

-• 

millions;  The  same  remarks  will  apply  to  the  mountain  region  of 
Rogue  river^valley.  It  is  only  necessary  to  carry  out  the  intentions 
of  many  citizens  of  Oregon  and  Washington,  as  practiced  in  several 
instances,,  to  exterminate  the  Indians,  friends  as  well  as  enemies. 
This  can  be  done,  but  it  would  cost  the  United  States  from  fifty  to 
one  hundred  millions,  all  which  can  be  avoided  by  a  just  and  judicious 
course  pursued  towards  the  Indians.  I  have  no  doubt  that  in  a  very 
short  time  I  could  settle  all  difficulties  with  the  Indians  if  the  gov 
ernors  (Stevens  and  Curry)  and  their  volunteers  withdraw  from  the 
contest.  Their  object  is  Avar,  and  not  peace.  I  have  on  Puget  Sound 
seven  companies  of  regulars,  in  the  Rogue  river  valley  seven  compa 
nies,  and  one  near  by,  at  Humboldt.  Brevet  Major  Wyer,  with  his 
company,  has  been  ordered^to  Fort  Lane.  This  force,  I  am  confident, 
will  be  all  sufficient  to  bring  the  war  to  a  close  in  southern  Oregon. 
It  certainly  will  be  sufficient  if  Governor  Curry's  volunteers  will  cease 
their  practice  of  indiscriminately  killing  the  Indians,  friends  as  well 
,as  foes. 

In  a  former  communication  I  mentioned  the  conduct  of  Major  Lup- 
ton  and  his  party,  in  killing  twenty-five  Indians,  of  whom  eighteen 
were  women  and  children.  This  occurred  in  October.  Captain 
Smith,  commanding  at  Fort  Lane,  reports,  that  uon  the  23d  of  Decem 
ber  last,  a  party  of  volunteers,  unarmed,  belonging  to  a  company  then 
stationed  on  or  near  Butte  Creek,  made  a  visit  to  a  camp  of  friendly 
Indians,  on  the  north  side  of  Rogue  river,  some  fifteen  miles  from  this 
post,  and  assured  the  Indians  of  the  friendly  disposition  of  the  whites 
towards  them,  and  their  desire  to  live  in  peace.  The  object  of  this 
visit,  on  the  part  of  the  whites,  was  to  ascertain  the  strength,  position, 
&c.,  of  this.  Indian  camp,  and  finding  them  unarmed,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  a  few  bows  and  arrows,  marched  there  on  the  following  night, 
surrounded  the  camp,  and  killed  nineteen  men,  burned  their  houses 
and  stores,  and  left  the  women  and  children  exposed  to  the  severe 
cold  weather. 

"The  squaws  and  children  are  now  at  this  post,  suffering  severely 
from  frozen  limbs.  Old  Jake,  (chief  of  this  same  band,)  with  his  im 
mediate  family,  was  encamped  near  Butte  creek,  on  the  south  side  of 
Rogue  river.  A  party  from  another  company  of  volunteers  paid  a 
similar  visit  to  his  camp,  and  for  the  same  dastardly  purpose,  and  at 
night  surrounded  his  camp  and  massacred  all  the  men.  The  squaws 
and  children  from  this  camp  are  also  here,  suffering  with  frozen 
limbs." 

Herewith  I  enclose  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Captain  H.  M.  Judah,  re 
lating  to  Indian  affairs.  It  deserves  attention.  Certainly  the  Indians 
referred  to  have  been  greatly  neglected.  They  ought  to  have  been 
treated  differently  by  the  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  for  Cali 
fornia. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

T .  Major  General. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  L.  THOMAS, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General, 

Headquarters  of  the  army,  New  York. 


52  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 

FORT  JONES,  CALIFORNIA,  March,  8,  1856. 

SIR  ;  I  have  the  honor  to  make  the  following  statement  in  reference 
to  the  Scott's  valley  Indians  collected  at  this  post. 

About  three  weeks  since,  I  was  called  upon  by  Willian  Steele,  esq., 
a  prominent  citizen  of  this  valley,  who  exhibited  to  me  a  letter  of 
authorization  from  Colonel  Henly,  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs 
in  this  State,  to  take  with  him  two  of  the  most  prominent  of  the 
Indians  to  the  Nome  Lackee  reservation,  in  order  that  they  might,  if 
possible,  become  favorably  impressed  with  its  advantages  as  a  future 
home  for  the  tribe. 

Mr.  Steele  was  accompanied  by  a  gentleman  named  Weeks,  who  is 
conversant  with  the  Shasta  language,  and  who  returned  a  few  days 
since  with  the  two  Indians,  (John  and  Jack.) 

Mr.  Weeks  informed  me  that  both  Mr.  Steele  and  himself  were 
very  coldly  and  impolitely  (if  not  rudely)  treated  by  the  residing 
agent,  a  Mr.  Stevens,  who  informed  them  that  Colonel  Henly  had 
gone  to  Washington,  and  that  he  had  not  been  informed  of  their  in 
tended  visit.  Mr.  Stevens  offered  no  facilities  for  carrying  out  the 
purposes  of  the  visit,  and  finally  evinced  his  utter  ignorance  or  inten 
tional  display  of  the  most  ordinary  politeness,  by  leaving  his  office 
with  his  friends  for  a  social  purpose,  expressed  in  the  presence  of 
Messers  Steele  and  Weeks,  who  were  left  to  carry  out  the  purposes  of 
their  visit  as  they  best  could. 

They  shortly  after  left  the  office,  and  walked  with  the  Indians  for 
a  couple  of  hours  upon  the  reservation,  returning  to  Tehama,  with 
out  further  notice  from  Mr.  Stevens. 

Enough  information  was  gleaned  during  their  short  visit  to  warrant 
the  conclusion  that  the  Indians  upon  the  reserve  are  grossly  neglected, 
and  that  the  government  is  imposed  upon  in  the  conduction  of  the 
affairs  of  the  reservation.  This  information,  with  the  exception  of 
one  item,  afforded  me  by  Mr.  Weeks,  was  obtained  by  Tye  John  from 
conversation  with  the  Indians  themselves.  The  item  referred  to  is  the 
following:  "Some  few  days  before  their  arrival,  a  man  living  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  reservation  came  upon  the  same,  and  deliberately 
killed  twelve  of  the  Indians  from  one  rancheria  for  killing,  or 
suspicion  of  having  killed  some  hogs  belonging  to  him."  Mr.  Weeks 
states  that  the  occurrence  seemed  to  excite  little  comment,  and  was 
not  adverted  to  by  Mr.  Stevens.  If  such  acts  are  really  permitted 
upon  that  reservation,  Indians  had  better  take  their  chances  as  out 
laws  in  the  mountains. 

The  Indian,  Tye  John,  informs  me  that  the  Indian  with  whom  he 
conversed  assured  him  that  they  were  uncomfortable,  unhappy,  and 
that  their  numbers  were  being  very  rapidly  reduced  by  death ;  that 
they  had  no  fires  in  the  winter,  were  not  supplied  with  clothing,  and 
received  neither  flour  nor  beef,  their  sole  food  being  wheat.  John 
also  informed  me  that  both  he  and  his  tribe  preferred  to  be  killed  and 
buried  upon  the  soil  of  their  fathers  to  being  removed  to  Nome 
Lackee. 

Although  the  officers  upon  the  reserve  would  probably  deny  the  ex 
istence  of  such  a  state  of  affairs  as  above  represented,  I  am  convinced 


TERRITORIES   OF  WASHINGTON   AND   OREGON.  53 

that  it  exists,  and  that  no  arrangement  pertaining  to  Indian  affairs  in 
this  State  bears  investigation.  I  am  led  to  this  belief  through  per 
sonal  observations  made  during  the  past  two  years. 

In  view  of  the  facts  that  the  visit  of  the  Indians  to  Nome  Lackee 
was  reduced  to  a  farce,  and  that  no  further  action  in  reference  to  the 
Scott's  valley  Indians  may  be  expected  from  the  Indian  department 
in  this  State,  I  respectfully  request  more  specific  instructions  in  refer 
ence  to  them  than  any  I  am  acting  under.  They  are  entirely  dis 
armed  as  far  as  fire-arms  are  concerned,  and  cannot  possibly  subsist 
themselves  with  their  bows  and  arrows.  They  are  daily  supplied  with 
beef  and  flour  by  the  acting  assistant  commissary  of  subsistence  at 
this  post,  and  have  been  since  collected  upon  the  military  reserve  for 
protection  against  the  whites,  which  is  still  necessary.  As  a  continual 
source  of  annoyance  to  the  post,  as  well  as  to  the  people  of  Scott's 
valley,  in  view  of  the  probability  of  a  "descent  by  hostile  Indians  upon 
some  of  the  sparsely  settled  portions  of  the  State  during  the  summer, 
in  which  case  the  Scott's  valley  Indians  would,  though  innocent,  suf 
fer  through  revenge ;  of  their  uniformly  good  conduct,  and  through 
considerations  of  humanity,  they  should  be  removed  as  soon  as  possi 
ble.  I  would,  therefore,  recommend  that  Lieutenant  Crook,  or  some 
other  officer,  be  permitted  to  take  two  of  the  most  prominent  of  their 
number  to  the  reservation  upon  the  Lower  Klamath,  for  purposes  of 
inspection;  and  that,  upon  their  return,  f  be  authorized  to  remove 
them  to  that  place. 

The  Indians  have  within  the  past  two  days  assumed  their  bows  and 
arrows,  which  they  constantly  wear  upon  their  persons,  undoubtedly 
with  a  view  to  escape  in  the  event  of  a  forcible  attempt  to  remove 
them  to  the  Nomo  Lackee  reservation. 

Apologizing  for  the  length  of  this  communication,  into  which,  from 
the  interest  I  feel  upon  the  subject,  I  have  unintentionally  been 
drawn . 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

H.  M.  JUDAH, 
Captain  4th  infantry,  commanding. 

Captain  D.  R.  JONES,  U.  S.  A., 

Asst.  Adj.  Gen.,  Department  Pacific,  Benicia,  California. 


Upon  a  perusal  of  the  above  communication,    I   respectfully  beg 
leave  to  withdraw  the  paragraph  which  unfavorably  characterizes  the 
administration  of  Indian  affairs  in  this  State,  as  irrelevant. 
A  true  copy. 

D.  R.  JONES, 
Assistant  Adjutant  General. 


Indian  affairs.     Highly  interesting. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT, 
HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY, 

New  York,  April  17,  1856. 


54  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

The  within  communication  presents  evils  which,  under  the  existing 
organization,  this  department  has  not  power  to  remedy.  The  conduct 
of  the  officers  of  the  army  on  this  occasion  is  in  keeping  with  that 
which  they  have  generally  observed,  and  is  fully  approved. 

JEFF'N  DAVIS, 

Secretary  of  War. 
WAR  DEPARTMENT,  April  22,  1856. 


General  Wool  to  the  Commanding  General. 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  PACIFIC, 

Benicia,  California,  April  2,  1856. 

COLONEL  :  Having  "been  wrongfully  and  unjustifiably  assailed  and 
denounced  by  the  governors  of  Oregon  and  Washington  Territories 
and  the  legislature  of  the  former,  who  have  demanded  of  the  Presi- " 
dent  of  the  United  States  my  recall  from  the  command  of  the  Pacific 
department,  I  have  deemed  it  proper  to  transmit,  with  the  request 
that  it  may  be  forwarded  to  the  War  Department,  the  following  sum 
mary  statement  of  facts  in  regard  to  the  Indian  war  now  waged  in 
those  Territories,  and  which  I  could  hope  might  claim  attention. 

A  year  since  I  ordered  Brevet  Major  Haller,  with  about  150  rank 
and  file,  to  go  as  far  as  Fort  Boise  to  give  protection  to  emigrants  go 
ing  to  Oregon  and  Washington  Territories,  and  to  demand  the  mur 
derers  of  some  twelve  or  thirteen  emigrants  near  that  place  the  year 
before. 

The  Major  not  only  went  to  Fort  Boise  but  150  miles  beyond.  He 
remained  in  that  section  of  country  until  near  the  close  of  September, 
1855,  when  he  returned  to  his  post  at  the  Dalles,  having  previously 
captured  and  executed  a  number  of  the  Indians  concerned  in  the  mur 
ders  abov.e  alluded  to. 

Shortly  after  his  return,  and  early  in  October,  he  was  called  on  by 
Major  Kains  to  execute  a  similar  mission  against  the  Yakima  Indians, 
occupying  a  portion  of  the  country  east  of  the  Cascade  range  of  moun 
tains.  It  is  said  that  the  Yakimas,  having  become  dissatisfied  with 
the  treaty  made  with  them  the  summer  before,  by  General  Stevens, 
determined  on  war. 

This  was  hastened,  as  it  would  seem,  by  some  miners  forcibly  car 
rying  away  and  ill-treating  some  Yakima  squaws.  The  Yakimas, 
according  to  their  own  story,  complained  of  this  wrong  to  A.  J.  Bolon, 
sub-Indian  agent,  who  was  at  the  time  in  the  Yakima  country,  and 
demanded  redress.  An  altercation  took  place,  when  the  Indians 
threatened  revenge.  The  agent,  in  turn,  threatened  if  they  executed 
their  intentions  to  send  against  them  the  troops  of  the  United  States. 
It  was  under  such  circumstances  that  the  agent  and  the  Indians  sepa 
rated. 

The  former,  however,  was  followed  and  overtaken  by  the  Yakimas, 
when  they  demanded  to  know  if  he  intended  to  send  the  troops  of  the 
United  States  against  them.  On  answering  them  in  the  affirmative, 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON   AND   OREGON.  55 

as  the  Indians  say,  they  killed  him,  and  afterwards,  as  reported,  some 
miners,  on  their  way  to  the  Colville  mines. 

On  this  information  being  conveyed  to  Major  Rains,  Brevet  Major 
Haller  was  directed  to  proceed  against  the  Yakimas,  to  chastise  them 
and  demand  the  murderers  of  the  agent  Bolon. 

Accordingly,  with  one  hundred  and  four  rank  and  file,  he  pro 
ceeded  on  his  mission,  hut  without  the  precautions  necessary  against 
savage  warfare. 

About  sixty  miles  from  the  Dalles,  on  emerging  from  a  deep  ravine, 
he  found  himself,  as  he  reports,  confronted  hy  1,500  Indians.  After 
losing  two  men  killed,  and  some  thirteen  or  fourteen  wounded,  one 
mortally,  he  escaped  from  his  perilous  condition  to  an  eminence,  on 
which  was  neither  wood,  water,  or  grass.  He  reported  that  he  was 
surrounded  hy  Indians,  and  asked  for  a  thousand  men  to  relieve  ^m" 

This  was  communicated  to  the  Dalles  hy  a  person  who  succeeded  in 
passing  the  Indians  without  being  observed.  Relief  was  immediately 
ordered.  In  the  meantime,  after  remaining  on  the  hill  thirty-six  or 
forty  hours,  water  being  indispensable  both  to  men  and  animals,  the 
major  determined  to  force  his  way  to  water.  He  broke  up  his  encamp- 
ment  and  commenced  his  march  for  the  stream  in  his  front. 

He  met  with  no  resistance,  and  after  allaying  the  thirst  of  his  men, 
horses,  and  mules,  he  commenced  his  march  towards  the  Dalles. 

In  his  effort  to  make  good  his  retreat,  he  became  separated  from  his 
rear  guard,  the  front  and  rear  taking  different  trails.  The  guard, 
supposing  that  it  was  following  the  front  of  the  column,  continued  its 
march  towards  the  Dalles  without  interference  or  molestation  from 
the  Indians.  This  left  the  major  with  only  forty  effective  men,  and 
the  wounded  and  baggage. 

With  this  small  force  he  succeeded  in  making  good  his  retreat,  fol 
lowed  two  days  and  nights  by  1,500  Indians. 

I  think  the  number  greatly  exaggerated.  However  this  may  be, 
under  the  circumstances,  I  did  not  consider  such  an  enemy  greatly  to 
be  dreaded.  The  repulse  of  Major  Haller  created  great  excitement 
and  alarm  throughout  Oregon  and  Washington,  lest  all  the  Indian 
tribes  in  the  Territories  should  at  once  combine  and  come  down  upon 
the  settlements.  As  soon  as  I  was  informed  of  Major  Haller  'a  defeat, 
I  ordered  all  the  disposable  troops  at  my  command  to  the  seat  of  war, 
and  I  followed.  At  the  same  time  I  called  upon  the  United  States 
government  for  at  least  an  additional  regiment.  This  was  promptly 
responded  to,  and  the  9th  regiment  of  infantry  arrived  early  in  Janu 
ary,  but,  owing  to  the  unusually  severe  winter,  could  not  enter  upon 
a  winter  campaign.  In  the  meantime,  Major  Rains,  who  had 
authority  for  such  purposes,  made  preparation  for  a  second  expe 
dition  against  the  Yakimas. 

He  mustered,  with  the  reinforcements  which  I  sent  him,  five  hundred 
regulars,  with  three  mountain  howitzers,  besides  other  artillery — an 
ample  force,  if  properly  directed,  to  have  defeated  all  the  Indians  in 
the  country.  The  Major,  however,  partaking  somewhat  of  the  alarm 
pervading  the  country,  increased  and  stimulated  by  political  dema 
gogues,  called  on  Acting  Governor  Mason  for  two  companies  of  vol 
unteers,  which  was  promptly  and  favorably  responded  to;  and  upon 


56  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

Governor  Curry,  of  Oregon,  for  four  companies,  which  he  refused, 
because,  as  he  said,  the  Oregonians  would  not  serve  under  United 
States  officers.  At  the  same  time  he  called  into  the  territorial  service 
two  mounted  regiments,  one  to  serve  against  the  Indians  in  Washing 
ton  Territory.,  and  the  other  to  serve  against  the  Indians  in  southern 
Oregon.  Of  the  former,  no  part  of  it,  in  any  sense  of  the  term,  was 
necessary  to  defend  the  inhabitants  of  Oregon  against  the  Indians  in 
Washington  Territory,  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  from  whom 
they  had  no  danger  whatever  to  apprehend.  Major  Eains  having 
completed  his  preparations,  with  350  regulars  and  three  mountain 
howitzers,  set  out  about  the  1st  of  November  for  the  Yakima  country, 
followed  by  six  companies  of  Governor  Curry's  troops,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Nesmith,  no  doubt  a  very  capable  and  enterprising  officer,  and 
about  seventy  miles  from  the  Dalles  met  the  Yakimas,  who,  after  sev- 
eral  skirmishes,  without  any  loss  on  either  side,  excepting  one  Indian 
killed  and  scalped  by  an  Indian  who  accompanied  the  troops  of  Major 
Kains,  fled  over  the  mountains  to  the  Yakima  river,,  about  forty  miles 
distant.  But  in  consequence  of  the  snow,  then  fast  falling,  being 
several  feet  deep  on  the  intervening  mountains,  the  Major  could  not 
follow — at  least,  he  so  reported.  He  therefore  commenced  his  return, 
having  lost  fifty-four  animals  captured  by  the  Indians,  but  not  until 
the  volunteers,  unfortunately,  had  destroyed  the  Atahnum  mission, 
an  important  position,  and  one  which  ought  to  have  been  occupied  by 
the  Major.  On  his  return  he  crossed  mountains  which  he  had  pre 
viously  passed,  which  were  covered  with  snow  from  two  to  five  feet 
deep.  His  command  was  ordered  to  the  Dalles,  and  he  reported  to 
me  in  person  on  the  24th  of  November. 

I  arrived  on  the  17th.  having  been  detained  on  the  passage  from 
San  Francisco  eleven  days,  owing  to  gales  and  a  fire,  which  crippled 
the  steamer  on  board  of  which  I  was  a  passenger,  by  which  she  came 
very  near  being  lost. 

Anxious  to  establish  a  post  at  Walla- Walla,  in  order  to  prevent 
what  followed,  a  war  against  the  Walla- Wallas  by  the  troops  of  Gov 
ernor  Curry,  I  ordered  a  critical  inspection  of  all  the  troops  and  ani 
mals,  when  it  was  discovered  that  many  of  the  soldiers  were  without 
shoes  and  proper  clothing  for  the  season,  and  that  all  the  animals, 
with  very  few  exceptions,  owing  to  constant  service  during  the  sum 
mer  and  fall,  and  especially  in  the  last  two  expeditions  of  Majors 
Eains  and  Haller,  were  rendered  unfit  for  service.  I  had  determined, 
however,  if  it  was  possible,  to  take  possession  of  the  Walla- Walla 
country  before  winter  had  fairly  commenced.  Not  because  I  consid 
ered  it  in  any  respect  necessary  for  the  defence  or  protection  of y  the 
inhabitants  of  Oregon  or  Washington  Territory. 

The  Indians  in  that  region,  two  hundred  miles  distant,  could  not 
pass  the  Cascade  range  of  mountains,  then  covered  with  several  feet 
of  snow. 

The  only  route  by  which  they  could  reach  the  settlements  of  Oregon 
was  by  the  Dalles,  where  we  had  a  sufficient  regular  force  to  repel  all 
the  Indians  in  Washington  Territory. 

My  object  was  simply  to  overawe  these  tribes,  and  to  prevent  them 
from  uniting  with  the  Yakimas — the  authors  of  the  war.  They  had 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  57 

not  yet  taken  part  in  the  war  ;  at  least  they  had  not  then  killed  a 
white  man.  To  accomplish  my  purpose  no  time  was  to  he  lost.  Accord 
ingly,  I  directed  Major  Cross,  chief  quartermaster  in  my  staff,  to  pro 
cure,  if  practicable,  the  means  of  transportation.  This  could  not  be 
obtained  in  Oregon  or  Washington  without  great  delay  and  at  an 
enormous  expense,  which  the  state  of  the  war  did  not  call  for,  owing 
to  the  resources  of  the  country  being  very  much  exhausted  by  the 
large  requisitions  of  General  Curry  to  fit  out  his  several  expeditions. 

This  compelled  me  to  seek  elsewhere  for  means  of  transportation. 

Hence,  I  directed  Major  Cross  to  have  wagons,  horses,  and  mules 
sent  from  Benicia,  and  boats  and  forage  from  San  Francisco,  to  Van 
couver. 

Before  the  animals,  &c.,  arrived  the  river  Columbia  froze  over. 
This  cut  off  all  communication  with  the  Dalles  and  the  Indian  coun 
try  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains.  For  three  weeks  I  was  ice-bound, 
not  being  able  to  communicate  with  the  Dalles  or  San  Francisco. 

Governor  Curry,  however,  had  brought  two  regiments  of  mounted 
men  in  the  field,  at  an  enormous  expense.  Nothing  had  yet  been  ac 
complished  by  them,  and  certainly  not  by  the  regiment  intended  to 
operate  against  the  Indians  in  Washington  Territory. 

Something  had  to  be  done.  A  fight  with  the  Indians,  no  matter 
whether  friends  or  enemies,  was  indispensable  to  excite  the  sympathy 
of  the  nation,  and  especially  Congress,  or  the  propriety  of  paying 
contributions,  so  profusely  levied  on  the  people  of  Oregon,  might  be 
questioned.  Accordingly,  Colonel  Nesmith  was  ordered  by  Governor 
Curry  with  his  command  to  march  against  the  Walla- Wallas,  where 
Major  Chinn,  with  five  companies,  had  been  previously  ordered. 

On  an  inspection  of  the  horses  of  the  colonel's  command,  although 
but  twenty  days  in  the  field,  they  were  pronounced  unfit  for  that  ser 
vice.  Several  companies,  however,  were  prepared,  and,  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kelly,  a  member  of  the  legislature  of 
Oregon,  joined  Major  Chinn,  who,  instead  of  going  to  Fort  Walla- 
Walla,,  where  he  was  ordered  by  Governor  Curry,  took  post  on  the 
Umatilla,  thirty  miles  distant,  because,  as  he  reported,  there  were 
one  thousand  Indians  in  and  about  the  fort. 

Although  in  this  position  for  several  weeks,  and  frequently  sending 
scouts  within  a  mile  or  two  of  the  Indians,  he  was  neither  molested 
nor  interfered  with.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kelly,  on  joining  Major 
Chinn,  moved  against  Fort  Walla- Walla,  but  found  no  Indians  there. 
He  then  moved  up  the  river  Touchet,  where  he  was  met  by  the  chief 
"  Piu-piu-mox-mox,"  with  a  flag  of  truce.  He  said  he  was  for  peace ; 
that  he  did  not  wish  to  fight ;  that  his  people  did  not  wish  to  fight, 
and  that  if  any  of  his  young  men  had  done  wrong  he  was  prepared  to 
make  restitution.  If  he  could  not  return  the  goods  wrongfully  taken, 
he  would  pay  for  them,  being  abundantly  able  to  do  so.  When  the 
volunteers  said  they  were  in  want  of  provisions  he  offered  them  cattle. 
He  was  rich  in  money,  horses,  and  cattle. 

The  volunteers  replied  he  had  better  go  back  and  fight.  He  refused, 
and  with  his  companions,  four  (Lieutenant  Colonel  Kelly  says  six)  in 
number,  was  taken  prisoner,  and  sent  guarded  to  the  volunteer  camp. 
The  volunteers  then  commenced  the  attack  upon  his  people,  which  was 


58  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

continued  for  four  days,  without  any  great  loss  on  either  side,  when 
the  Walla- Wallas,  having  secured  their  women  and  children,  crossed 
Snake  river.  The  second  or  third  day  of  the  engagement,  the  volun 
teers  barbarously  killed  "  Piu-piu-mox-mox  "  and  his  companions. 
They  took  from  the  chief's  head  some  twenty  scalps,  cut  off  his  ears 
and  hands,  and  sent  them  as  trophies  to  their  friends  in  Oregon. 

As  the  volunteers,  having  no  boats,  could  not  cross  Snake  river, 
the  retreat  of  the  Indians  closed  their  winter  campaign,  except  to 
plunder  the  friendly  Cayuses  of  their  horses  and  cattle. — (See  my  letter 
dated  the  12th  February,  1856,  to  Governor  I.  I.  Stevens.) 

Owing  to  the  severity  of  the  winter,  except  those  captured  by  the 
Indians,  most  of  the  volunteers'  horses  died  from  fatigue  and  the  want 
of  forage  or  grass.  Major  Chinn  said  that  about  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  of  their  best  horses  were  captured  by  the  Indians. 

It  is  reported  that  Governor  Curry  has  in  part  replaced  them  with 
a  fresh  relay. 

In  February  thirteen  wagons  loaded  with  supplies,  including  am 
munition^  for  the  volunteers,  guarded  by  only  four  men,  were  captured 
by  the  Indians,  between  the  Umatilla  and  Fort  Walla- Walla. 

Such  have  been  the  results  of  one  of  the  most  unwise,  unnecessary, 
and  extravagant  expeditions  ever  fitted  out  in  the  United  States,  and 
for  no  other  reason  than  to  plunder  the  treasury  of  the  United  States, 
and  to  make  political  capital  for  somebody. 

It  could  not  have  been  projected  for  the  defence  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Oregon,  nor  for  the  protection  of  Oregonians  in  Washington  Ter 
ritory,  for  none  resided  there.  What  then  could  have  been  the  object? 
Nothing  but  a  crusade  against  the  Indians,  and  a  long  war  to  enrich 
the  country. 

If  such  was  not  the  object,  Governor  Curry.,  instead  of  sending  his 
troops  against  the  Indians  in  Washington  Territory,  and  beyond  his 
jurisdiction,  would  have  sent  all  of  them  to  southern  Oregon,  where 
the  war  raged,  and  nowhere  else  in  his  Territory.  The  Oregonians 
say  that  the  war  "  is  a  God-send  to  the  country." 

It  would  appear,  however,  from  the  governor's  proclamation,  that 
he  did  send  a  regiment  to  southern  Oregon ;  but  from  all  the  informa 
tion  1  have  received  from  that  section  of  country,  they  have  been  of 
little  or  no  service,  so  far  as  giving  protection  to  the  inhabitants  is 
concerned,  and  yet  the  war  has  been  carried  on  between  the  volunteers 
and  the  Indians  in  a  most  singularly  barbarous  and  savage  manner. 
My  information  is  derived  from  citizens  and  regular  officers  under  my 
command,  and  not  from  any  of  the  civil  or  military  functionaries  of 
the  Territory  of  Oregon. 

I  have  never  been  informed  by  any  one,  not  even  by  the  governor, 
of  the  military  wants  of  the  Territory.  He  has  never  called  on  me  for 
troops  to  defend  it,  or  to  protect  the  inhabitants  from  savage  barbarity. 
Although  he  has,  as  it  would  appear,  purposely  avoided  all  communi 
cation  with  me  on  the  subject,  I  have  not  been  unmindful  of  the  con 
dition  and  wants  of  the  Territory.  I  have  not  failed,  as  far  as  it  was 
in  my  power,  to  defend  and  protect  such  parts  as  were  exposed  and 
assailed  by  the  Indians,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  {or  the  indiscrimi 
nate  warfare  carried  on  against  them,  and  the  massacre  of  several 


TERRITORIES    OF   WASHINGTON   AND   OREGON.  59 

parties  of  friendly  Indians  by  the  troops  of  Governor  Curry,  the  war 
would  have  long  since  been  brought  to  a  close  in  Oregon. 

Although  the  Indians  are  retaliating  with  fearful  vengeance  on  in 
nocent  citizens,  for  the  murder  in  October  last,  by  Major  Lupton  and 
his  party,  of  25  friendly  Indians,  18  of  whom  were  women  and  chil 
dren,  all  going  to  the  military  reservation  at  Fort  Lane,  for  protec 
tion,  and  notwithstanding  the  massacres  on  23d  and  24th  December 
last,  when  volunteers  murdered  about  forty  unarmed  friendly  Indians, 
belonging  to  the  band  of  the  chief,  Jake,  who  was  among  the  killed, 
I  think  if  the  volunteers,  who  expect  to  be  paid  largely  for  their  ser 
vices,  were  withdrawn,  and  private  war  prevented,  I  could  soon  end 
the  war  in  Rogue  river  valley,  and,  indeed,  throughout  Oregon  and 
Washington. 

But  the  determination  of  the  Oregonians  to  exterminate  the  Indians, 
which  I  am  wholly  opposed  to,  if  not  discountenanced  by  the  United 
States  government,  may  prolong  the  war  almost  indefinitely. 

Another  Florida  war  can  be  had  in  Rogue  River  valley,  owing  to 
the  mountainous  character  of  the  country.  The  same  remark  will 
apply  to  Puget  Sound,  where  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  follow  the 
Indians  in  the  dense  forests  of  that  region.  Yet,  by  a  proper  and 
judicious  course,  the  war  may  be  brought  to  a  close;  when,  by  estab 
lishing  posts  at  proper  points,  a  recurrence  of  the  past  might  be  pre 
vented.  But  to  do  this,  I  repeat,  the  extermination  of  the  Indians 
should  be  abandoned.  No  doubt  they  could  be  exterminated,  but  it 
would  cost  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  millions,  besides  thousands  of  in 
nocent  and  valuable  lives. 

Still,  with  all  the  difficulties  presented  and  staring  us  in  the  face,  I 
do  not  despair.  With  eight  companies  of  regular  troops  in  Rogue 
River  valley  and  another  on  the  way,  with  not  to  exceed  two  hundred 
warriors  in  arms,  increased  to  that  number  by  the  barbarous  conduct 
of  the  volunteers  towards  the  friendly  Indians,  and  seven  companies 
in  Puget  Sound,  where  there  are  not  one  hundred  and  fifty  in  arms 
against  the  whites,  commanded  by  active,  vigilant,  and  intelligent 
officers,  I  cannot  but  hope  that  the  war  in  those  two  sections  will  soon 
be  brought  to  a  close,  when  we  will  meet  with  no  difficulty  in  bring 
ing  the  Indians  to  terms,  east  of  the  Cascade  range  of  mountains. 

To  show  how  determined  the  people  of  Oregon  are  to  exterminate 
the  Indians,  it  is  only  necessary  to  represent  their  conduct  towards 
four  hundred  friendly  Indians  waiting,  on*  the  military  reserve  at  Fort 
Lane,  to  be  conducted  to  the  coast  range  reservation.  Captain  Smith, 
commanding  at  that  post,  with  two  companies  of  regulars,  reported 
to  me  that  it  took  a  large  part  of  his  command  to  prevent  the  citizens 
from  murdering  those  four  hundred  Indians. 

I  have  been  informed,  by  those  whose  character  for  truth  and  vera 
city  is  not  to  be  questioned,  that  meetings  of  the  citizens  of  Oregon 
had  been  held,  when  it  was  resolved,  if  the  attempt  was  made  to  con 
duct  those  Indians  to  the  coast  reserve,  they  would  not  only  kill  them, 
but  all  who  might  accompany  them. 

After  the  Indians  recently  started  for  the  reserve,  although  escorted 
by  one  hundred  soldiers,  they  were  followed  by  a  citizen  who  shot  one 
of  the  Indians,  declaring,  at  the  same  time,  he  intended  to  follow 


60  INDIAN   DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

them  and  kill  all  he  could.  I  regret  that  I  am  compelled  to  say  that 
such  conduct  is  too  much  encouraged  by  persons  holding  high  offices 
under  the  government  of  the  United  States.  And  because  I  have  op 
posed  this  inhuman  and  barbarous  practice,  and  the  wholesale  plun 
dering  of  the  treasury  of  the  United  States,  which  there  is  no  circum 
stance  to  justify,  I  have  been  denounced  by  the  governors  of  both  Ter 
ritories  and  the  legislature  of  Oregon. 

The  latter  has  demanded  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  my 
removal  from  the  command  of  the  Pacific  department.  To  discover 
how  much  truth  is  contained  in  the  charges  presented  against  me  in 
the  memorial  to  the  President,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  read  this 
communication . 

I  am,  however,  surprised  to  find  that  the  legislature  does  not  know 
the  boundaries  of  its  own  Territory.  Walla- Walla  is  in  Washington 
and  not  in  Oregon  Territory.  No  citizens  were  there,  except  two  or 
three,  besides  those  who  were,  or  had  been,  attached  to  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company,  and  these  were  mostly  half-breeds  and  Canadians. 

It  is  well  known  that  they  are  in  no  danger  of  being  killed  by  the 
Indians.  All  not  Americans,  or  "  Bostons,"  as  the  Indians  call 
them,  not  found  in  arms  against  them  are  respected,  at  least  they  are 
in  no  danger  of  being  killed  by  them. 

In  conclusion,  it  only  remains  for  me  to  notice  a  letter,  lest  it  should 
create  false  impressions  and  mislead  the  public,  of  I.  I.  Stevens,  gov 
ernor  of  Washington  Territory,  dated  the  8th  of  March,  1856,  and 
published  in  San  Francisco. 

The  governor  in  his  letter  of  appeal  to  the  citizens  of  San  Francisco, 
would  induce  them  to  believe  that  there  were  not  to  exceed  900  regu 
lars  in  Washington  and  Oregon,  and  that  there  were  but  four  compa 
nies  of  regulars  at  one  point  in  Puget  Sound. 

At  the  date  of  his  letter  there  were  five  companies  of  regulars  ac 
tively  operating  against  less  than  two  hundred  warriors  in  arms 
against  the  whites,  and  six  days  after,  seven  companies,  500  strong, 
under  the  direction  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey  and  Major  Garnett. 
At  the  date  of  his  letter,  instead  of  900,  as  he  asserts,  there  were  1,900 
regulars,  and  at  this  time  2,000.  Of  the  33  companies  in  the  Pacific 
department,  27  are  operating  in  Oregon  and  Washington,  distributed 
as  follows,  viz  :  nine  in  southern  Oregon,  700  strong,  actively  operat 
ing  against,  certainly  not  to  exceed,  200  warriors  in  arms  against  the 
whites  ;  seven  companies,  as  before  mentioned,  in  Puget  Sound,  with 
less  than  200  warriors  in  arms  against  them  ;  one  company  at  Van 
couver,  and  ten  companies  at  the  Dalles,  under  command  of  Colonel 
George  Wright,  of  the  9th  infantry.  The  latter  will  be  efficiently, 
and  I  trust  successfully,  employed  against  the  Indians  east  of  the  Cas 
cade  range  of  mountains  as  soon  as  the  season  will  permit,  that  is,  as 
soon  as  grass  can  be  had  to  support  animals. 

A  force  amply  sufficient  to  terminate  the  war  in  all.  parts  of  the  two 
Territories,  and  afterwards  to  prevent  past  occurrences,  if  the  volun 
teers  could  be  withdrawn  and  private  war  prevented.  But  as  long  as 
governors  of  Territories  make  war,  and  exercise  powers,  as  I  believe, 
unknown  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  individuals  raise 
volunteers  and  make  war  on  the  Indians  whenever  they  please,  and 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON   AND   OREGON.  61 

Congress  will  pay  the  expense,  so  long  will  we  have  war  in  Oregon 
and  Washington  Territories. 

It  is  said  by  intelligent  men  that  the  expense  of  Governor  Curry's 
army  will  amount,  in  scrip,  from  two  to  four  millions.  If  Congress 
should  foot  the  bill,  some  governor  of  another  Territory  will  make  a 
bill  of  ten  millions. 

I  do  not  know  how  the  question  will  be  considered.  One  thing, 
however,  is  certain,  that  it  is  an  example  which,  if  countenanced  by 
the  United  States  government,  may.  when  least  expected,  lead  to  no 
less  embarrassing  than  disastrous  results. 

Herewith  I  forward  copies  of  instructions,  marked  1,  2,  and  3,  to 
Colonel  George  Wright  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Silas  Casey,  in  regard 
to  the  employment  of  volunteers,  and  the  course  they  should  pursue 
in  conducting  the  war  against  the  Indians,  and  the  protection  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Oregon  and  Washington  Territories. 

I  also  send  copies,  marked  4  and  5,  of  a  correspondence  between 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Casey  and  Governor  Stevens,  on  the  subject  of 
calling  into  service  two  companies  of  volunteers. 

Governor  Stevens,  like  Governor  Curry,  refuses  to  place  volunteers 
under  the  command  of  United  States  officers.  Colonel  Wright,  March 
1,  on  this  subject,  says  that  ''from  the  best  information  I  can  obtain, 
the  presence  of  the  volunteers  in  the  Walla- Walla  country  during  the 
last  two  months  has  been  highly  injurious,  and  tended  to  increase 
the  number  of  our  enemies." 

Similar  reports  are  made  from  most  of  the  regular  officers,  of  the 
volunteers  acting  under  their  observation. 

I  also  send  a  copy  of  a  report  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  George  Nau- 
man,  marked  6,  who  was  ordered  to  southern  California  to  examine 
into  the  condition  of  affairs  in  that  region,  and  to  ascertain  the  feel 
ings  and  disposition  of  the  Indians  on  the  Colorado. 

His  report  is  highly  favorable  to  peace.  •AMCHOTT  u»***Y 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  E.  WOOL,  Major  General 

Lieutenant  Colonel  L.  THOMAS, 

Assist.  Adjutant  General,  New  York. 


Indian  affairs.  Highly  interesting.  I  have  full  confidence  in  Gen* 
eral  Wool's  statement  of  facts,  and  fully  concur  in  his  views  and  sen 
timents. 

Respectfullv  submitted, 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 
HEADQUARTERS,  New  York,  May  2,  1856. 


62  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES    IN    THE 


No.  1. 

HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  PACIFIC, 

Benicia,  California,  January  29,  1856. 

COLONEL  :  No  doubt  ere  this  you  have  received  special  orders  No.  6, 
and  a  letter  of  instruction,  dated  the  19th  instant,  assigning  you  to 
the  command  of  the  troops  in  Washington  Territory  and  northern 
Oregon,  which  includes  Puget  Sound,  Vancouver,  and  the  Dalles,  and 
all  the  country  north  and  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains. 

You  will  exercise  supervising  control  over  all,  and  direct  such  ope 
rations  as  you  may  deem  proper. 

As  soon  as  the  season  will  permit,  preparatory  to  operations  in  the 
Indian  country  east  and  north  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  you  will 
establish  the  headquarters  of  your  regiment  at  the  Dalles,  where  all 
the  troops  intended  for  the  Indian  country  will  be  concentrated.  Pre 
vious  to  which  every  attention  will  be  given  to  perfecting  them  in  the 
rifle  or  light  infantry  drill,  as  also  in  the  duties  of  guards.  The  lat 
ter  is  an  important  duty,  and  should  receive  every  attention.  I  found 
but  few  of  the  younger  officers  of  the  4th  infantry  acquainted  with 
that  duty.  Your  own  headquarters  you  can  establish  either  at  Van 
couver  or  the  Dalles.  You  will,  of  course,  be  most  of  your  time  at 
the  latter  place  during  the  period  of  preparation  for  the  field. 

The  points  which  I  intended  as  the  base  of  operations  are  the  Selah 
fisheries,  on  the  Yakima  river,,  and  some  point  on  or  near  the  Colum 
bia  river  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Walla- Walla.  It  is  my  inten 
tion  to  establish  a  permanent  post  somewhere  in  this  region  at  the 
most  eligible  point  for  controlling  the  surrounding  Indian  tribes,  and 
to  command  the  river  and  its  crossings.  On  account  of  the  scarcity  of 
timber,  it  may  be  necessary  to  go  some  distance  up  the  Touchet  river 
before  a  suitable  position  for  the  establishment  of  a  post  can  be  found. 
Between  the  Dalles  and  the  Selah  fisheries  an  intermediate  post,  with 
one  company,  may  be  necessary,  to  prevent  the  Yakimas  from  taking 
fish  in  the  streams  which  empty  themselves  in  the  Yakima  and  Co 
lumbia  rivers.  This  intermediate  post  should  be  given  to  some  active 
and  energetic  officer. 

Herewith  you  will  receive  a  memoir  and  sketches,  by  Captain  Cram, 
chief  of  the  topographical  engineers,  of  the  country  in  which  your 
command  will  be  required  to  operate.  I  would  recommend  it  to  your 
attentive  perusal.  From  this  you  will  perceive  that  the  Selah  fisheries 
;are  one  hundred  miles  from  the  Dalles,  and  from  the  latter  to  the 
Atahmun  river  mission  it  is  seventy  miles,  which  position  may  be  im 
portant  as  an  intermediate  post  between  the  Dalles  and  the  Selah 
fisheries.  From  the  Dalles  to  Fort  Walla- Walla  it  is  one  hundred 
and  forty-two  miles,  and  from  the  latter  place  to  Selah  fisheries  ninety- 
five  miles  by  the  road  to  Steilacoom. 

With  boats  to  cross  the  Columbia  river,  your  forces  at  either  point 
could  be  in  four  days  concentrated  ;  by  forced  marches,  in  three  days 
or  less.  For  crossing  the  Columbia  river  I  ordered  four  portable  boats, 
and  a  flat  to  be  prepared  in  pieces,  to  be  put  together  on  the  arrival 
•of  the  troops  at  or  near  Walla- Walla. 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND    OREGON.  63 

Expeditions  should  be  prepared  to  leave  at  the  earliest  moment, 
that  is,  as  soon  as  grass  can  be  obtained  for  animals,  for  Fort  Walla- 
Walla,  and  the  Selah  fisheries.  It  is  not  probable,  however,  that 
you  will  be  able,  on  account  of  snow  on  the  intervening  mountains, 
to  go  to  the  Selah  fisheries  as  soon,  by  three  or  four  weeks,  as  to  the 
Walla- Walla  country.  Hence,  as  soon  as  the  season  will  permit,  you 
will  conduct  yourself  a  force  of  four  or  five  companies,  with  three  moun 
tain  howitzers  and  one  six-pounder,  to  Wall  a- Walla. 

It  is  desirable  that  you  conduct  this  expedition  with  reference  to  the 
selection  of  a  proper  position  for  a  post,  and  to  ascertain  the  feelings 
and  dispositions  of  the  several  tribes  in  that  section  of  the  country. 
I  do  not  believe  that  the  Walla- Wallas,  the  Cayuses,  Pelouses,  and 
Umatillas,  had  resolved  on  war  until  the  attack  of  the  volunteers  on 
the  Walla- Wallas. 

The  murder  of  the  chief,  Piu-piu-mox-mox,  whilst  a  prisoner,  by 
the  volunteers,  has  united  those  tribes  against  us.  I  do  not  believe, 
however,  that  they  will  continue  the  war  a  great  while.  The  occupa 
tion  of  the  country  between  the  Walla- Walla,  Touche,  and  Snake 
rivers,  and  the  opposite  side  of  the  Columbia,  will  very  soon  bring 
*  those  tribes  to  terms. 

The  occupation  at  the  proper  time  of  the  Yakima  country  from  the 
Atahmun  mission,  and  the  country  on  the  Yakima  river,  extending 
above  and  below  the  Selah  fisheries,  will  compel  the  Yakimas,  I  think, 
to  sue  for  peace  or  abandon  their  country.  Supplies  for  the  Selah 
fisheries  must  be  packed,  unless  they  should  be  sent  by  the  way  of 
Walla- Walla  and  the  Steilacoom  road. 

It  is  desirable  that  at  least  sixty  days'  provisions  should  be  sent 
with  either  expedition,  to  Walla- Walla  or  the  Selah  fisheries. 

After  the  return  of  Major  Eains,  I  ordered  an  inspection  of  all  the 
animals,  some  450,  when  very  few  were  found  to  be  fit  for  service. 
Since  then.  Major  Cross,  chief  quartermaster,  has  sent  about  225  horses 
and  mules  to  Vancouver. 

It  is  very  desirable  that  all  the  animals,  including  the  dragoon 
horses,  should  be  well  taken  care  of,  in  order  that  they  may  be  fit  for 
service  as  soon  as  the  troops  can  take  the  field.  I  have  again  and 
again  given  orders  and  instructions  on  that  subject,  and  especially  that 
,  the  dragoon  horses  should  have  the  best  of  care,  and  be  put  under 
cover. 

I  ordered,  I  think,  as  early  as  August  last,  stables  to  be  put  up  at 
the  Dalles,  for  the  company  of  dragoons  at  Vancouver.  I  understand 
they  were  nearly  completed  when  I  left,  the  12th  January.  When 
this  company  goes  to  the  Dalles,  you  will  direct  Major  Fitzgerald  to 
put  his  horses  in  the  building  designed  as  a  stable  for  him.  If  the 
quartermaster  occupies  any  part  of  it  for  quartermaster's  stores  they 
will  be  moved  out.  The  horses  of  that  company  must  be  put  in  a  con 
dition  for  active  services  by  the  time  you  will  be  ready  to  move. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  remark,  that  we  have  no  authority  to  call 
for  volunteers,  to  employ  them,  or  to  furnish  them  with  supplies. 
Therefore  the  less  you  have  to  do  with  them,  unless  in  extreme  cases, 
which  I  do  not  anticipate,  the  better  it  will  be  for  the  service.  Many 


64  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

of  them,  as  well  as  most  of  the  Oregonians,  are  for  exterminating  the 
Indians,  and  accordingly  do  not  discriminate  between  friends  and  foes. 
The  course  thus  far  pursued  by  Governor  Curry  and  the  volunteers 
has  only  tended  to  increase  our  Indian  enemies,  whilst  it  has  subjected 
the  regular  service  to  great  inconvenience  and  expense.  This,  too,  by 
exhausting  the  resources  of  Oregon  and  Washington,  and  without  ac 
complishing  the  least  good. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

Major  General. 
Colonel  GEORGE  WEIGHT, 

Commanding  at  Vancouver. 

P.  S.  Applications  are  frequently  made  for  clerks  in  the  commisary 
and  quartermaster's  departments.  I  have  issued  an  order  prohibiting 
any  clerks  being  appointed  in  the  disbursing  departments,  except  by 
special  instructions  from  the  War  Department,  without  my  sanction 
and  approval.  If  clerks  are  required  by  any  disbursing  officer  under  - 
your  command,  the  application  should  be  made  through  you,  with 
your  approval  or  otherwise. 

By  the  memoir  of  Captain  Cram,  you  will  perceive  that  obstacles 
on  the  routes  to  the  Selah  fisheries  and  to  Walla- Wall  a  will  require 
your  attention.  On  fitting  out  expeditions,  pioneer  parties  should  be 
organized,  to  go  in  advance  and  to  remove,  as  far  as  practicable,  all 
obstacles  that  would  retard  your  progress. 


No.  2. 

HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  PACIFIC, 

Benida,  February  22,  1856. 

SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt,  last  evening,  of 
your  communication  of  the  4th  instant. 

In  reply  the  general  commanding  directs  me  to  say  that  you  will 
receive  by  the  steamer  Massachusetts,  Captain  Swartout  commanding, 
his  instructions  and  views  in  regard  to  the  course  you  should  pursue 
in  prosecuting  the  war  against  the  Indians.  With  five  companies  of 
regular  troops,  not  less  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  strong,  with  sev 
eral  ships- of- Avar,  including  the  steamer  Massachusetts,  he  had  great 
hopes  that  you  would  be  able  to  bring  the  war  to  a  close  without  the 
aid  of  volunteers.  On  this  subject,  however,  the  commanding  general 
directs  me  to  say  that  volunteers  cannot  be  recognized  or  employed 
unless  received  and  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States. 
Therefore,  if  volunteers  should  be  considered  indispensably  necessary 
at  any  time  to  aid  in  defending  the  inhabitants  of  Puget  Sound  and 
in  that  vicinity,  or  to  bring  the  war  to  a  close,  you  will  call  on  the 
governor  of  the  Territory  for  the  number  you  might  require,  not  to 
be  mounted,  and  when  forwarded  to  you  have  them  examined  and 
regularly  mustered  into  the  service. 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON.  65 

This  course  will  be  adopted  only  in  case  of  absolute  necessity,  as  the 
general  has  no  authority  to  call  volunteers  into  the  service,  and  he 
will  not  sanction  or  'tolerate  it,  unless  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
protection  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Territory.  He  will  send  you,  as 
soon  as  practicable,  one  or  two  companies  of  the  fourth  or  ninth  infan 
try.  From  necessity  they  will  be  compelled  to  go  by  land.  At  the 
present  time,  it  is  said  to  be  impracticable  on  account  of  high  water, 
the  streams  not  being  fordable. 

Your  requisition  for  quartermasters'  stores  will  be  complied  with. 

Neither  horses  nor  mules  can  be  sent  from  here.  They  must  be 
obtained  by  purchase  in  either  Washington  or  Oregon  Territory. 
Your  requisition  for  ordnance  and  ordnance  stores  was  anticipated  and 
the  articles  sent  by  the  Massachusetts,  except  the  expanding  rifle 
cartridges.  Twenty  thousand  have  been  ordered.  Five  thousand 
rifle  cartridges  were  sent  by  the  Massachusetts. 

In  conclusion,  the  general  directs  me  to  say  that  whilst  he  approves 
of  your  efforts  to  induce  the  Indians  to  come  in  and  give  up  their 
arms,  under  promise  of  protection,  he  does  not  doubt  that  you  will 
by  your  energy  and  activity,  as  well  as  by  that  of  all  your  officers, 
bring  the  war  to  a  close  without  the  employment  or  aid  of  volunteers. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  R.  JONES, 

Acting  Adjutant  General. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  S.  CASEY, 

Ninth  Infantry,  commanding  Fort  Steilacoom, 

Washington  Territory. 

True  copy.  RICHARD  ARNOLD, 

First  Lieutenant  Third  Artillery  and  Aid-de-Camp. 


No.  3. 

BENICIA,  HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  PACIFIC, 

On  board  of  the  Steamer  Columbia,  March  14,  1856. 

COLONEL  :  I  have  just  arrived  and  landed  at  Steilacoom  with  two 
companies  of  the  9th  infantry,  commanded  by  Major  Gar  net  t.  By  the 
enclosed  order  you  will  perceive  that  I  have  directed  the  Major  to  have 
his  command  prepared  for  immediate  and  active  operations. 

Your  communication  of  the  9th  instant  was  received  on  my  way 
down  the  Columbia  river.  In  regard  to  your  co-operating  with  vol 
unteers  ordered  out  by  Governor  Stevens,  I  will  simply  remark  that 
no  co-operation  should  take  place  on  your  part,  unless  you  received 
them  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  subject  to  your  orders.  If 
your  position  required  volunteers  to  aid  you  in  the  protection  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Territory,  you  should  have  called  for  them,  and 
when  received,  to  have  had  them  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States.  Any  other  course  is  decidedly  wrong. 

I  know  of  no  authority  which  authorizes  governors  of  Territories  to 
Ex.  Doc.  66 5 


66  INDIAN    DISTURBANCES   IN    THE 

raise  troops  and  direct  their  operations,  independent  of  the  officers  of 
the  United  States,  and  certainly  not  independent  of  myself.  I  have 
been  kept  wholly  ignorant  of  the  state  of  the  country,  except  through 
the  regular  officers  of  the  army,  and  from  their  communications  I 
have  yet  to  learn  that  any  essential  service  has  been  rendered  to  the 
country  by  volunteers. 

I,  however,  approve  of  your  course  as  hitherto  pursued,  with  the 
above  exception,  and  I  cannot  doubt  but  that,  with  the  two  companies 
under  Major  G-arnett.,  you  will  very  soon  bring  the  war  to  a  close. 

I  will  be  here  until  to-morrow,  when  I  will  leave  in  the  steamer 
Active  for  San  Francisco,  I  hope,  in  the  meantime,  to  see  you.     It  is 
important  that  I  should  see  you  before  I  leave. 
I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

Major  General. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  S.  CASEY, 

Ninth  Regiment  Infantry,  Commanding  at  Steilacoom, 

Washington  Territory. 


No.  4. 

HEADQUARTERS  PUGET  SOUND  DISTRICT, 
Fort  Steilacoom,  Washington  Territory,  March  15,  1856. 
SIR  :  I  respectfully  request  that  you  will  at  once  issue  your  procla 
mation  calling  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  two  companies  of 
volunteers,  to  serve  on  foot,  for  the  period  of  four  months,  unless 
sooner  discharged. 

Each  company  to  consist  of  one  captain,  one  first  and  one  second 
lieutenant,  four  sergeants,  four  corporals,  and  seventy  privates. 

I  wish  both  companies  to  be  mustered  into  service  at  Fort  Steila- 
coom. 

The  authority  for  calling  for  the  above  named  troops  has  been  given 
by  the  general  commanding  the  department  of  the  Pacific. 

I  received,  yesterday^  an  accession  of  two  companies  of  the  ninth 
infantry.  With  this  accession  of  force,  and  the  two  companies  of 
volunteers  called  for,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  I  shall  have  a  sufficient 
number  of  troops  to  protect  this  frontier,  without  the  aid  of  those  now 
in  the  service  of  the  Territory. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

SILAS  CASEY, 
Lieutenant  Colonel  ninth  Infantry, 

Commanding  Puget  Sound  District. 
His  Excellency  I.  I.  STEVENS, 

Governor  of  Washington  Territory,  Olympia,  W.  T. 


TERRITORIES   OF   WASHINGTON   AND   OREGON.  67 


No.  5.  * 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY, 

Olympia,  March  16,  1856. 

SIR  :  Your  letter,  calling  upon  me  for  two  companies  of  volunteers 
to  be  mustered  into  the  regular  service,  has  been  received,  and,  in  an 
ticipation  of  my  full  reply,  I  will  state  that  the  requisition  will  not  be 
complied  with.  I  do  not  consider  it  expedient  to  change  the  plan  of 
the  campaign,  nor  the  organization  of  the  troops,  so  far  as  the  volun 
teers  are  concerned, 

Truly  and  respectfully,  your  most  obedient, 

ISAAC  I.  STEVENS, 
Governor  Territory  of  Washington. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  SILAS  CASEY, 

Commanding  Puget  Sound  District. 


No.  6. 

FORT  YUMA,  CALIFORNIA,  February  27,  1856. 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  state,  that  since  my  last  report,  dated  the 
12th  instant,  nothing  whatever  has  occurred  between  the  Indians  and 
whites  to  disturb  the  tranquility  of  this  portion  of  California,  and  that 
the  former  at  present  manifest  towards  us  and  each  other  the  most 
amicable  dispositions.  I  entertain  no  apprehension  whatever  that 
this  desirable  condition  of  things  is  likely  soon  to  be  changed.  In  all 
directions  are  seen  unusually  vigorous  and  extensive  preparations  of 
the  soil  of  the  river  bottom  for  cultivation,  and  there  can  be  no  better 
guarantee  of  the  sincerity  of  the  friendly  protestations  of  the  natives 
than  this  manifestation  of  a  disposition  to  provide  for  themselves  so 
immediately  in  our  vicinity. 

The  Indian  whom  I  mentioned  in  my  letter  of  the  28th  ultimo  as 
having  been  dispatched  on  the  previous  day  to  endeavor  to  ransom  a 
white  woman  from  the  Mohaves,  and  bring  her  to  the  fort,  I  am 
extremely  happy  to  say,  returned  on  the  22d  instant,  having  entirely 
succeeded  in  his  mission.  The  young  woman  proves  to  be  a  Miss- 
Oatman,  whose  parents  were  murdered  by  the  Indians  somewhere  on 
the  Gila,  about  eighty  miles  from  this  place,  in,  I  think,  1850.  Her 
self  and  a  sister  were  captured  on  that  occasion,  and  reduced  to- 
slavery.  The  latter  is  represented  to  have  died  about  six  months  ago. 
Miss  Oatman  seems  to  be  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  has,  unfor 
tunately,  almost  entirely  lost  the  use  of  the  English  language,  speak 
ing  nothing  but  that  of  the  rude  people  among  whom  she  so  long 
resided,  and  which  no  one  here  can  interpret  well.  She,  however, 
retains  a  recollection  of  her  name,  and  says  it  is  Olive  Oatman. 

It  is  believed  she  has  a  brother  residing  at  Los  Angelos ;  the  neces 
sary  measures  have  been  taken  to  ascertain  that  fact,  and  if  it  should 


68         INDIAN   DISTURBANCES    IN    WASHINGTON    AND   OREGON. 

turn  out  to  be  so,  to  apprise  him  of  the  agreeable  intelligence  of  the 
recover^of  his  sister. 

Meanwhile,  every  proper  care  is  being  taken  of  her,  and  it  will 
afford  us  all  infinite  satisfaction  to  restore  her  to  her  friends  and  civil 
ization. 

It  gives  rne  much  pleasure  to  add  that  the  commandant  of  Fort 
Yuma,  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  Burke,  has  manifested  the  most  com 
mendable  zeal  and  interest  in  accomplishing  the  very  desirable  object 
I  have  just  detailed. 

As  my  services,  in  my  opinion,  are  no  longer  required  at  Fort 
Yuma,  I  shall,  in  accordance  with  instructions,  Headquarters  Depart 
ment  of  the  Pacific,  February  12,  1856,  set  out  to-morrow  for  my  post 
at  Benicia  barracks. 

Very  respectfully,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE  NAUMAN, 

Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  Major  3d  Artillery. 
To  Captain  D.  E.  JONES, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General  Department  of  the  Pacific, 

Benicia,  California., 


